Photo: Disclosure

Summer is the favorite time of year for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya. As temperatures and rainfall increase, their population skyrockets. But the good news is that spring began last Saturday (23) and outbreaks can be avoided before the hottest season of the year arrives. The Oswaldo Cruz Institute suggests a simple but effective mosquito control strategy: Clear your indoor and outdoor environment of standing water at least once a week for ten minutes. This initiative was adopted, supported and disseminated among the population also by the City Hall of Florianópolis.

Seems a little, doesn’t it? But this attitude can make a big difference, health experts explain. From egg to adult, the life cycle of Aedes aegypti varies depending on temperature, food availability, and the number of larvae in the same breeding site, as larval competition for food (in the same breeding site with little water) consists of preventing maturation insect. Under favorable environmental conditions, after hatching from an egg, the development of a mosquito into an adult form can take up to ten days.

Photo: Disclosure/Florianópolis City Hall

Therefore, if you change the water and wash the container once a week, even if it is very hot, the mosquito’s life cycle will be interrupted. Local crews advise setting a day a week for changing water and flushing tanks that cannot be fixed. Establishing this weekly health commitment makes fighting dengue easier and more effective.

Emanoella Miranda, director of the Zoonoses Control Center of Florianópolis, emphasizes that for the success of the municipality’s actions, it is important that every citizen is aware and responsible for inspecting their property, both inside and outside, at least once a week with a view to destroying the objects / sediments containing or capable of storing water to prevent mosquito breeding.

Photo: Disclosure/Florianópolis City Hall

“We advise you to check drains in bathrooms, balconies and areas that receive little use and accumulate water, and ensure that swimming pools and wells are always clean and treated. Other items that accumulate water should be removed if possible or stored in a covered area. Plants that store water also need to be removed or replaced with others that do not store water,” explains Emanoella.

House mosquitoes live in or around homes or other places frequented by people, such as businesses, schools or churches. It also lives inside people’s homes or workplaces. Adult mosquitoes are often found in places such as recesses in bookshelves, behind curtains, and under tables and chairs.

In addition, it is predominantly diurnal and feeds on human blood, especially at dawn and dusk. However, you need to be careful as it is an opportunistic mosquito and will bite at night if given the opportunity. “As a personal protective measure, we recommend using repellents,” says Emanoella.

The head of the Metropolitan Center for Zoonosis Control also emphasizes the importance of the public meeting with health workers at home, receiving advice on the control and prevention of Aedes aegypti, and for municipal health teams to conduct inspections in these places.

Residents who have complaints about standing water or other situations contributing to the rise in outbreaks in the capital can contact the municipal health department through the website vigilanciaflorianopolis.celk.com.br/denuncia or by calling 48 3212-3902 (WhatsApp).

Main breeding sites

According to the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, large reservoirs such as water tanks, gallons and barrels (commonly used to store water for domestic use in areas with unstable urban infrastructure) are the breeding grounds where Aedes aegypti breeds the most, and is therefore most dangerous , according to the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. .

However, this does not mean that the public can neglect to pay attention to small reservoirs such as potted plants, clogged gutters, bottles, open trash, air conditioning trays, elevator shafts and others. The warning from the federal and municipal governments is to be careful with larger tanks, as this is where the mosquito will certainly find the best conditions to develop from egg to adult.

It is also necessary to wash the sides of the water tank in dishes and plant pots once a week to ensure the elimination of the vector.

Eggs stick to the sides of containers

The female Aedes aegypti lays eggs in moist areas of the sediment wall, close to the surface. For example, they remain stuck to the sides of plant pots or water tanks, where they can remain for up to a year. Therefore, it is extremely important to clean the sides of containers where eggs may become stuck.

A female can give birth to 1,500 mosquitoes in her lifetime. The eggs are distributed among several breeding sites, a strategy to ensure the spread and persistence of the species. If a female becomes infected with the dengue virus while laying eggs, there is a chance that daughter larvae will already be born with the virus through a process called vertical transmission. In nature, A. aegypti eggs can survive without water for up to 450 days.

Check out more tips for preventing the spread of Aedes aegypti.

• Do not leave stagnant water, destroying the birth and development sites of the mosquito, preventing its reproduction;
• Always keep the lid tightly closed and wash the inside walls of water tanks, wells, katsimbas, barrels or barrels of water, cisterns, jars and filters with soap and a washcloth;
• Do not allow water to accumulate in flower pots and plant pots. Sprinkle fine sand around the edge of the dish;
• Plants that can accumulate water must be treated with bleach at the rate of one tablespoon per liter of water, watering at least twice a week. Always remove any water that has accumulated on the leaves;
• Do not collect containers and utensils in which water may accumulate (bottle caps, eggshells, jars, plastic cigarette bags, plastic and glass packaging, disposable cups, etc.) and store empty bottles upside down;
• Hand over old tires to the city cleaning service, if necessary, store them in a covered place;
• Always leave the toilet lid closed. In rarely used bathrooms, flush at least once a week;
• Always remove accumulated water from the refrigerator’s outer tray and wash it with soap and water;
• Every time you change your mineral water bottle, wash the stand where the water collects well;
• Always keep lakes, waterfalls and ornamental water features clean. Fish are bred in these places; they feed on mosquito larvae;
• Wash and change the water in bird and animal drinking bowls at least once a week;
• Clean your gutters and slabs frequently, and apply sand to broken glass in the wall where water may be collecting;
• Always treat your pool water with chlorine and clean it once a week. If you don’t intend to use it, don’t cover it with a tarp or plastic;
• Keep your yard clean by picking up litter and trash around your homes, emptying garbage cans and covering them. Do not throw garbage in vacant lots, buildings and public gardens. If necessary, call city cleaning and;
• Always allow a zoonosis control agent access to your home or business.