Perceptions of rodent-associated problems: an experience in urban and rural areas of Yucatan, Mexico

Rodents are a threat to agriculture and homes, and are a public health risk. Local perceptions about rodents and the damage they cause are vital, as a first step, to the design and implementation of rodent control or educational programs. A total of 111 interviews were conducted in two urban neighborhoods and two rural villages in Yucatan, Mexico. More than 90% of the interviewed inhabitants perceived rodents as a problem. The fear of rodents (57%), damage to food and stocks (56%), and damage to clothes (34%), were the most cited problems. In the urban neighborhoods, the use of rodent control methods was more frequent (57%) than in the villages (33%) in this study. In addition, the percentage of damage to domestic appliances was lower in villages (10%) than in neighborhoods (33%). Our preliminary results suggest that rodent pests represent a threat to human health and to human food security in the studied sites.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MuseoCentro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Perceptions of rodent-associated problems: an experience in urban and rural areas of Yucatan, Mexico

Rodents are a threat to agriculture and homes, and are a public health risk. Local perceptions about rodents and the damage they cause are vital, as a first step, to the design and implementation of rodent control or educational programs. A total of 111 interviews were conducted in two urban neighborhoods and two rural villages in Yucatan, Mexico. More than 90% of the interviewed inhabitants perceived rodents as a problem. The fear of rodents (57%), damage to food and stocks (56%), and damage to clothes (34%), were the most cited problems. In the urban neighborhoods, the use of rodent control methods was more frequent (57%) than in the villages (33%) in this study. In addition, the percentage of damage to domestic appliances was lower in villages (10%) than in neighborhoods (33%). Our preliminary results suggest that rodent pests represent a threat to human health and to human food security in the studied sites.Fil: Panti May, Jesús Alonso. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Sodá Tamayo, Lorenzo. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Gamboa Tec, Naivy. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Cetina Franco, Rosy. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Cigarroa Toledo, Nohemi. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Machaín Williams, Carlos. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; MéxicoFil: Robles, Maria del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Hernández Betancourt, Silvia F.. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Méxic