Dengue Eradication Program

August 18

2013
Cotton Research Institute, Rahim Yar Khan
Muhammad Bakhsh Assistant Agronomist M.Sc. (Hons.) Agronomy

Dengue fever is one of the most notorious disease which threatened the whole Pakistan but especially the Punjab province. Hundreds of mortalities were recorded throughout Pakistan for the past few years. This disease is caused by a virus, which is transmitted from one human being to another through mosquito specie naming Aedes aegypti. The most effective technique to control or eradicate this disease is to control the carrier (mosquito) of the disease. Hence, a Dengue Eradication Campaign from the Punjab Government was launched for the last couple of years to cope with the dilemma. Umair Faheem Assistant Research Officer M.Sc. (Hons.) Agri. Entomology Muhammad Yasin Cotton Botanist M.Sc. (Hons.) PB & G

D Dengue fever is one of the most

notorious diseases found throughout the world. It is also called as Break bone fever. It is caused by arbovirus (B Group) existing in four forms viz., Dengue 1, Dengue 2, Dengue 3 and Dengue 4. This virus is transmitted by a mosquito naming Aedes aegypti. Graham in 1905 was the first person who proved that this disease is transmitted through mosquito. In 1906, Bancrofti reported that A. aegypti is the responsible mosquito of that disease. In severe cases, disease can cause mortality of the patient. Aedes aegypti is the only specie of mosquitoes which transmits this disease in humans. While, the other species of transmits this virus in monkeys. This mosquito, in contrast to other mosquitoes only feeds at day time and mostly lives in the cities. It hides itself behind the frames, cupboards, chairs, underneath the desks and tables. Female mosquito lays her eggs near the edges of the containers, pots and surface of the water. Eggs are laid singly and they are highly drought resistant. Eggs can survive a year without moisture. Eggs are minute and cigar shaped which hatch within two days. Larvae are bottom feeders and can dive up to 1.5m. The larval duration remains for 4-9 days. The pupal duration is 1-5 days. Adult female can last up to 225 days. Due to dengue fever hundreds of mortalities have been recorded throughout Pakistan,

especially in Punjab province for the last few years. For this purpose Dengue Eradication Program has been started in Punjab, Pakistan for the last couple of years to cope with this big issue. For the control/eradication of the dengue fever control/eradication of the carrier dengue mosquito is very important. There are several preventive measures which can be taken to manage this dengue mosquito. For the above mentioned purpose an Anti-Dengue Campaign was organized at Cotton Research Institute (CRI), Rahim Yar Khan to eradicate the developing population of dengue mosquito which would ultimately leads to the eradication of the dengue fever. The campaign was started at 08:00pm and the following activities were carried out;

Drainage of standing water:

Fig. 1: Drainage of standing water

Female dengue mosquito lays her eggs on the surface of water. She can lay her eggs both on clean and grubby water. So, standing water
2

around the premises of CRI, Rahim Yar Khan was drained to clear off the breeding places of dengue mosquito.

Covering of vehicles tyres:

Fig. 3: Drying of standing water with soil

Spraying under the desks and behind the frames:

Fig. 2: Tyres covered with polythene sheet

It can easily be seen that after rains, water usually stands within the inner side of the tyres. This water can also provide a breeding site for the dengue mosquito. Hence, old vehicle tyres were stacked and covered with polythene sheet.

Fig. 4: Spraying of insecticide underneath the table

Drying of standing water with soil:

Standing water, where possible was dried with soil to remove the egg depositing sites against the dengue mosquito females. At day time dengue mosquito rests behind the frames, chairs and other type of furniture at day time. So, all the furniture of Cotton Research Institute was sprayed to wipe out the hiding sites of dengue mosquito.

Spraying on walls:

Spraying in washrooms:

toilets

and

Fig. 5: Spraying on walls

Walls of Cotton Research Institute, Rahim Yar Khan were sprayed as a preventive measure against the dengue mosquito.

Spraying on pots containing water:

Fig. 7: Spraying in toilets and washrooms

Fig. 6: Spraying on pots

Usually it has been observed that in washrooms and toilets there is a large population of mosquitoes. This is mainly due to the fact that washrooms and toilets contains standing water which act as a breeding site for the mosquitoes. Hence, toilets and washrooms of CRI, Rahim Yar Khan were thoroughly sprayed.

Spray on marshy places:

Female dengue mosquito can also lay her eggs on water standing in the plant pots. Consequently, plant pots were also sprayed with insecticide.

Fig. 8: Spraying at marshy places 4

The biggest breeding site for the dengue mosquito is marshy places. Dengue mosquito can lay her eggs in both clean and dirty water. Standing water which could be drained was sprayed with insecticide.

All the dengue mosquito eradication activities were closed at 01:00 pm

Removal of weeds:

Fig. 9: Removal of weeds

Weeds were removed around the premises of the Cotton Research Institute, Rahim Yar Khan. All the garbage was disposed off from the Institute.

Fig. 10: Removal of weeds