Information systems in mosquito control
Information systems in mosquito control
Rapid increase in satellite technologies during the several decades has facilitated the use of various information technologies for investigations of arthropod pests and vectors of diseases, such as malaria. Different techniques as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) or Remote Sensing (RS) are all employed by scientists to the study and control of arthropods of public health importance.
Satellite data on meteorological conditions (rainfall, temperature,humidity) of particular site may help to understand how vector populations are affected while information recorded regularly over many years can be used to predict seasonal and annual variations in vector (such as mosquitoes) numbers and human infection rates.
High spatial resolution satellite images are used to discriminate mosquito breeding sites and habitats. Such images were used in Australian wetlands for mapping the distribution and flow of water and later natural drainage was modified in such a way that isolated breeding pools of mosquito Aedes vigilax were flushed out, limiting productivity of this pest without disturbing the wetland system.
High resolution aerial photographs were also successfully used to identify urban breeding sites of mosquitoes in Australian wetlands and Californian irrigation, although ground surveys proved to be more effective searching for residential high risk areas.
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