Sustainable Reduction of Dengue in Colombia: Vector Breeding Site Intervention With an Insecticidal Coating

Effective control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in breeding sites with high reproductive rates could have a major impact on reducing arbovirosis in endemic communities. The application of a safe, effective, low cost and sustained insecticide coating (IC) could be an affordable response to dengue for local health services. Therefore, a cluster randomised trial for the application of a new vector control tool (insecticidal coating of water containers) was conducted in the metropolitan area of Cúcuta, Colombia. The IC is an aqueous solution containing polymeric microcapsules of insecticides and insect growth regulators (pyriproxyfen-PPF (0.063%) and alphacypermertrin-ACM (0.7%) in suspension, without interaction between them, development by INESFLY®, Spain. The main questions it aims to answer are: Whether the control of the main breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes, through the application of insecticide coating, in clusters of dwellings, could reduce dengue transmission in a sustainable way, compared to untreated clusters, in Cúcuta, Colombia. Whether the control of the main breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes through the application of insecticide coating, in clusters of dwellings, could reduce the Aedes Indices in a sustainable way, compared to untreated clusters. The initial preparation phases: i) socialization ii) A safety evaluation to determine the health risks of IC in domestic water containers; iii) The determination of the effects and efficacy of IC on Aedes aegypti. The Baseline study to characterise the study clusters from entomological, epidemiological and socio-economic approaches was carried out in 2019-2020. The IC application phase in the intervention arm was carried out between Nov-2021 and Jan-2022, with the respective monitoring of the safety of IC use. This was followed by entomological monitoring. Finally, the 9-month post-intervention evaluation. Epidemiological data were obtained from the National Public Health Surveillance System - SIVIGILA. T