Occupational exposure to pesticides in Aedes vector control in Ecuador

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, particularly affecting populations in developing countries. Ecuador is a tropical country, with favorable climatic conditions to house mosquitoes of Aedes species that are active vectors of arbovirosis such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever for which there is no specific treatment or effective method of immunization, and the only way to control transmission is to target their vectors. The use of chemical insecticides has been the most used form in Control programs, being Temephos, Deltametrina and Malathion the most common in Ecuador today. The use of insecticides has a dual effect on public health: Positive, thanks to the control provided to ETV transmitter vectors; and Negative, translated into the health risks to directly exposed workers and the general population causing acute and chronic effects. The recognition as high-risk work of the work of the Ecuadorian fumigators given by the largest environmental entity in the country, allows the necessary actions to be taken to guarantee their health and in this way the negative impact can be reduced, adopting better and more efficient methods and equipment that are safe in the application of vector control insecticides.