Hurricane Rita Vector Control Issues and the DSHS Response

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Hurricane Rita Vector Control Issues and the
DSHS Response

• Diseases In Nature
• June 13, 2007
• Austin, Texas

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Vector Control Issues

• Mosquitoes
• Floodwater mosquitoes
• Standing water mosquitoes

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Mosquitoes
The clock starts ticking when water flow stops.
Time of emergence is dependent upon species
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Hurricane Rita and Mosquito Control

• Pre-landfall events
• Landfall
• Post-landfall events

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Pre-landfall Events
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State Operations Center (SOC)
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DSHS Entomologist

• Conferences with State Epidemiologist concerning
  mosquito control activities following landfall
• Conferences with CDC Entomologists offering
  assistance following landfill

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2,000,000 people without electricity for several
weeks
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Rainfall ranged from 6- 10 inches in some areas
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Coastal tidal surges reportedly ranged from 4
15 feet
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Creation of new mosquito breeding sites
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Joint Field Office (JFO)
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Restoration of electrical power
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Debris removal and clean-up efforts
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Mosquito Control The Science

• Bionomics of species
• Documented Mosquito Landing Rate Counts
• Data reflect trends
• Insecticide Application
• Too soon no control
• Too late no or little control

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Egg deposition sites for salt-marsh mosquitoes
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Aedes sollicitans, Salt-Marsh mosquito
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Mosquito Landing Rate Count

• Locations representative of area
• Same time
• Same observer
• Number of mosquitoes landing/minute

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Mosquito Landing Rate Count
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Mosquito Landing Rate Count

• Surveillance
• Demonstrate need for application of insecticides
  (FEMA required)
• Evaluation
• Effectiveness of insecticide applications (FEMA
  required)

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Mosquito Landing Rate Count

• Total number of documented adult mosquitoes that
  land in one minute on the front of one leg from
  the waist to the foot
• FEMA/CDC determine the threshold number
• FEMA/CDC set the time frame for mosquito control
  activities

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Mosquito Landing Rate Count

• Documented
• 70 per minute in Port Arthur, Jefferson County
• 40 per minute in Bridge City, Orange County
• 30 per minute in Hardin County

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U.S. Air Force Aerial Spraying

• Orange, Jefferson, Chambers Counties
• Documented Pre-spraying mosquito landing rate
  counts
• Documented Post-spraying mosquito landing rate
  counts

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National Wildlife Areas/Preserves
NO SPRAY ZONES
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U.S. Air Force Entomological Field Team

• Air Force Institute of Operational Health, Brooks
  City-Base, Texas
• Documented Pre-spraying mosquito landing rate
  counts
• Recommended USAF Aerial Spray for portions of
  Hardin, Jasper and Newton counties based on their
  data

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Ground ULV Unit
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Acknowledgements

• Dr.Tom Betz, Acting State Epidemiologist, DSHS
• Dr. James Wright, DSHS, PHR 4/5

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Acknowledgements

• Chambers County Mosquito Control District
• Lawrence Lewis
• Jefferson County Mosquito Control District
• Lee Chastant
• Orange County Mosquito Control District
• Patrick Beebe

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Acknowledgements

• CDC
• Dr. Roger Nasci
• Dr. Janet McAllister
• USAF
• Major Mark Breidenbaugh, Aerial Spray Flight
• Dr. Chad McHugh, Entomology Field Team Leader
• DOD
• Captain John Morning