Control of in a remote Guatemalan community Aedes aegypti vulnerable to dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus: Prospective evaluation of an integrated intervention of web-based health worker training in vector control, low-cost ecological ovillantas,

To study the effectiveness of an integrated intervention of health Objective: worker training, a low-cost ecological mosquito ovitrap, and community engagement on spp. mosquito control over 10 months in 2015 in an Aedes urban remote community in Guatemala at risk of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus transmission. We implemented a three-component integrated intervention Methods: consisting of: web-based training of local health personnel in vector control, cluster-randomized assignment of ecological ovillantas or standard ovitraps to capture mosquito eggs, and community engagement to promote Aedes aegypti participation of community members and health personnel in the understanding and maintenance of ovitraps for mosquito control. The intervention was implemented in local collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Vector Control Programme, and in international collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. Eighty percent of the 25 local health personnel enrolled in the Findings: training programme received accreditation of their improved knowledge of vector control. Significantly more eggs were trapped by ecological ovillantas than standard ovitraps over the 10 month (42 week) study period (t=5.2577; p<0.05). Among both community members and health workers, the levels of knowledge, interest, and participation in community mosquito control and trapping increased. Recommendations for enhancing and sustaining community mosquito control were identified. Our three-component integrated intervention proved beneficial to Conclusion: this remote community at risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. The combination of training of health workers, low-cost 1 2 2