Applicability of the Mexican ovitrap system for Aedes vector surveillance in Colombia

ABSTRACT

Ovitraps can detect Aedes vectors at an early stage and can serve as an alarm indicator for outbreak prediction. This study aimed to summarize the available literature about the ovitrap system and to determine its feasibility, required resources and costs when installing and maintaining this vector surveillance system in the municipality of Los Patios, Colombia. A scoping review to assess the role of ovitraps as a tool for Aedes vector surveillance was conducted. The subsequent fieldwork consisted of mapping the municipality, manufacturing, and installing 40 ovitraps in 10 blocks, revising them weekly for 4 weeks by two half-time employed vector control technicians, and carrying out a cost analysis. A total of 38 studies were included in this review showing that ovitraps had a better performance than other entomological surveillance methods and a positive correlation with other entomological and disease variables. From the field results over 4 weeks, a high proportion of positive ovitraps (80%, 90%, 75%, 97.5%) and positive blocks (100%) as well as a good acceptance by house owners (76.9%), were identified. Operational indicators such as average installation time of the ovitraps (10h15 m), weekly reading and reinstallation (on average 7h27 m) and the cost of the intervention (COL$1,142,304.47/US$297) were calculated. Literature shows that ovitraps are sensitive to detect the presence of Aedes mosquitoes, providing data efficiently and timely for outbreak prediction. The field testing showed it is an affordable and feasible method in the context of a Colombian municipality and similar endemic areas.

KEYWORDS:

• Ovitrap
• vector surveillance
• vector-borne disease
• dengue fever
• chikungunya
• Zika

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the team of vector control in Los Patios. Roque Suárez who led and supervised the field project, Gustavo García who digitalized the information and always offered support on-field, Emerson Núñez and Carlos Nieto, who made the installation and the weekly reinstallation of the ovitraps.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

EW and AK contributed to the concept and design of the study. EW, MAC, RCS and AK did the interviewer training, and drafted the paper. All authors read and approved the study and the procedures. EW and AK prepared the submission to the ethical committee and prepared the logistics. The study selection from the scoping review was done independently by JMVM and AK. Disagreements on the inclusion or exclusion of literature were solved through discussions with MAC. EW, MAC, RCS and JY prepared the field study, contacted the local leaders, organized the logistics. DM contributed with the cost analysis. EW, MAC, AK and GDL formatted, revised and corrected the article until its final version. All authors read and commented on the draft paper and approved the final version.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The participation in this study was voluntary, anonymous and did not represent a risk for the participants or their families. Participants had to be at least 18 years old, sign an informed consent and were informed they could withdraw from the study at any time. The study was explained in Spanish by a vector control technician to participants. Participants did not receive any kind of compensation for taking part in the study. Ovitraps had an individual code for identification. Sensible data (addresses) was erased after the intervention was finished. Researchers confirm that all methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. The ethics committee of the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany approved the project on 15.04.2021 with reference number 21–1235, and the intervention was authorized by the local health authorities in Colombia.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article [additional file 1, additional file 2, additional file 3, additional file 4].

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.2022.2146049.

Additional information

Funding

Research team was partially funded by Engagement Global GmbH.