You Say Mosquito, I say Mosquit-NO! DSHS Vector Control Response Operating Guidelines (ROG) Rick Bays Dr. Laura Robinson Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Flooding events can produce increases in biting mosquitoes in a short period of time with breeding grounds in the standing water ● After an incident, an increased proliferation of mosquitoes creates: ◦ Possible vector control concerns ◦ Nuisance mosquitoes hindering response and recovery efforts ● DSHS and many local jurisdictions did not have an appropriate plan for increased mosquito population ROG Purpose Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Increased mosquitoes = Increased risks ● Viral mosquito-transmitted diseases can initiate, prolong or expand to an epidemic ● Promoting or intensifying virus amplification increases human exposure (residents or responders) Vector Concerns Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Abatement activities should focus on high population density areas to be most cost-effective ● Chemical suppressions measures: ◦ Ground-based ◦ Aerial Spraying ▪ Pest Control Contract Vector Control Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Needs to be used in conjunction with appropriate surveillance-based methods ● Uses equipment requiring expertise, applicator licensure and training ● Document: ◦ Areas treated ◦ Name ◦ Concentration ◦ Amount of chemical ◦ Name of licensed applicator Ground-based Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Only when vector mosquitoes with infection are present (lab test confirmed) and/or ● When recovery efforts are impeded by nuisance mosquitoes (indicated by surveillance data) ● Expensive ● Can only be completed when weather conditions are right Aerial Spraying Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Emergency management contract, including aerial spraying for mosquitoes. ● Local jurisdictions can access thru Texas Procurement and Support Services Cooperative Purchasing Program ● Contract # ment/contracts/ Pest Control Contract Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● DSHS has no ongoing “routine” mosquito abatement program ● Initial response should be addressed in local mosquito vector control plans ● Locals monitor levels and types of vector mosquito populations with associated viral infections in their areas ● All surveillance activities must be documented Local Vector Response Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Surveillance activities should be done for both larval and adult mosquitoes ● Larval - presence of mosquito larvae in standing water ● Adults - landing rates and mosquito counts from light traps ● Verify abundance and species with submission to DSHS Lab for virus isolation Local Vector Surveillance Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Thoroughly document during entirety of event: ◦ Expenditures ◦ Surveillance activities ◦ Treatment and abatement ◦ Inventories at: ▪ Beginning of response ▪ Addition of any purchases ▪ Ending inventory Local Documentation Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Health Service Regions (HSR): ◦ Assist locals in surveillance activities ◦ Accumulate information and data from jurisdictions within the HSR ◦ Forward documentation to the SMOC ◦ Provide technical assistance to locals ● DSHS Central Office: ◦ Assesses health threats to give mosquito control measure recommendations State Response Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Compiles data and information to make determinations of treatment based on: ◦ Vector disease threat ◦ Mosquito landing rate counts ◦ Status of incident ◦ Historical disease prevalence ◦ Impact on response and recovery efforts ● Laboratory testing of mosquitoes trapped and submitted by locals State Response Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Can initiate Vector Field Response team to provide assistance and coordination to local and regional jurisdictions ● Consults with the CDC vector-borne disease experts on issues of mosquito control and criteria for FEMA support ● DSHS may do cost sharing contracts or agreements with locals to provide mosquito abatement resources State Response Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● FEMA & CDC determine level of mosquito activity required for federal support and/or reimbursement ● FEMA & CDC determine time frame for federally-supported mosquito control activities ● For FEMA reimbursement, specific scientific surveillance data is required by state and local jurisdictions Federal Response Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Mosquito-borne Diseases and Mosquito Vector Species in Texas DSHS Vector Control ROG Attachment 1 Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Parasite carried by mosquitoes ● Curable if diagnosed/treated promptly ● Symptoms ~7 to 30 days following a bite from infected mosquito Diseases of Concern: Malaria Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Human Cases in Texas Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

ArbovirusMajor Mosquito Vector Species West Nile VirusCulex quinquefasciatus, Culex tarsalis St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex tarsalis, Culex nigripalpus Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Aedes vexans, Coquellettidia perturbans Western Equine Encephalitis Virus Culex tarsalis California Serogroup Viruses Aedes triseriatus DengueAedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus

● Transmitted by mosquito bite ● No specific treatment ● Symptoms ~7 to 14 days following a bite from infected mosquito Diseases of Concern: West Nile Fever/Encephalitis Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

West Nile Virus Mosquito Vector Distribution Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Transmitted by mosquito bite ● Caused by any of four related viruses ● No vaccines to prevent infection ● No medications to treat infections ● Symptoms ~4 to 7 days following a bite and last 3-10 days Diseases of Concern: Dengue Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Dengue Virus Mosquito Vector Distribution Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Transmitted by mosquito bite ● No specific treatment ● Care is based on symptoms ● Symptoms ~5 to 15 days following a bite from infected mosquito Diseases of Concern: St. Louis Encephalitis Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Mosquito Vector Distribution Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Equine Encephalitis Viruses Mosquito Vector Distribution Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012 Western Equine Encephalitis Virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

Arbovirus Surveillance Guidelines DSHS Vector Control ROG Attachments Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Identify locations within the impacted areas that have standing water that could be possible breeding grounds for mosquitoes. ◦ Highly populated areas with standing water ● Collect both larval and adult mosquitoes in affected areas to identify potential threats to emergency workers and local residents required to work outdoors. ● All surveillance sites and activities must be thoroughly documented. ◦ Use GPS equipment to obtain longitude and latitude Mosquito Surveillance Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● Surveying for the presence of mosquito larvae in standing water is an important component of an Integrated Mosquito Management program. ● Surveying for mosquito larvae is usually done with a white dipper that has a handle about 3’ to 4’ long attached to it. ● A specific dipper volume is not as important as using the same-sized dipper for repeated measurements over time. ● Document the counts and calculate the Index of Abundance on Mosquito Larval Surveillance Form (Attachment 3, Vector Control ROG). Larval Mosquito Surveillance Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● As soon as weather permits following the event, begin performing and documenting morning mosquito landing rate counts in populated areas prior to intervention (Attachments 4 and 5, Vector Control ROG). ● Perform and document mosquito landing rate counts following intervention to document efficacy. ● All adult surveillance activities must be completed and the information provided on how response and recovery efforts are hampered by the determined mosquito activity. Adult Mosquito Surveillance Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

● As soon as weather permits following the event, perform adult mosquito collections in the evening to verify abundance and species of mosquitoes in the affected populated areas (Attachments 6, 7 and 8, Vector Control ROG). ● Use gravid traps or light traps depending on types of mosquitoes being targeted. ● Submit to DSHS Laboratory for species identification and virus isolation. ● Ideally, these can be compared to pre-event mosquito collections in the same jurisdiction. Adult Mosquito Surveillance Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Mosquito Light Trap Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

Mosquito Gravid Trap Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012

DSHS Zoonosis Control Regional Offices Texas Emergency Management Conference 2012