Prevention and control of worldwide mosquito-borne illnesses: Nurses as teachers

Abstract

Public health responses to increases in mosquito-borne viruses, such as chikungunya, dengue, and recently the Zika virus outbreak, have increased awareness about these illnesses. This is especially so with the Zika virus and its devastating effects on unborn children. Awareness and prevention guides are now more widely available. However, information provided is often limited to telling consumers what to do to protect themselves from mosquito bites, lacking an explanation about the cycle of transmission in a simple and concise way. Better understanding about why protection is critical, and how this action protects others, may lead to more consistent protective behaviors. Nurses interact with patients on a daily basis and are trained to convey complex scientific and medical information in ways that are understandable to different populations. For this reason, nurses are critical partners to teach about prevention and control of mosquito-borne illnesses. This article will first briefly review arboviruses, followed by an exemplar that discusses customized teaching tools about dengue fever developed for lay persons traveling for mission trips. The summary offers recommendations for nurses to consider as they plan intervention to increase awareness and prevent and control outbreaks.