DENGUE VECTOR CONTROL APPROACHES: EXISTING OPTIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD

Abstract

Aedes mosquitoes are crucial vectors of many significant viral infections. The intensifying and convoluted threat of dengue on a global scale warrants enhanced approaches to mosquito control. This short communication aims to provide an overview of the various types of environmental, biological, plant-based and chemical control strategies employed worldwide to curb dengue outbreaks which are worthy of reflection. The use of synthetic insecticides as the predominant method to reduce the spread of dengue has been widely adopted, albeit with caution. The prolonged dependency and repetitive usage of chemical insecticides has been associated with negative ecological and physiological dangers, necessitating the pursuit of alternative strategies to augment existing methods of mosquito control. This review aims to discuss the effectiveness of existing insecticides and the potential use of natural larvicides of botanical origin against dengue using literature sourced from electronic databases. Although many studies have utilised plant-based derivatives as naturally occurring pesticides, their efficacy needs to be further investigated which forms the rationale behind this review.