Theoretical impact of insecticide-impregnated school uniforms on dengue incidence in Thai children.

BACKGROUND: Children carry the main burden of morbidity and mortality caused by dengue. Children spend a considerable amount of their day at school; hence strategies that reduce human-mosquito contact to protect against the day-biting habits of Aedes mosquitoes at schools, such as insecticide-impregnated uniforms, could be an effective prevention strategy. METHODOLOGY: We used mathematical models to calculate the risk of dengue infection based on force of infection taking into account the estimated proportion of mosquito bites that occur in school and the proportion of school time that children wear the impregnated uniforms. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The use of insecticide-impregnated uniforms has efficacy varying from around 6% in the most pessimistic estimations, to 55% in the most optimistic scenarios simulated. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing contact between mosquito bites and human hosts via insecticide-treated uniforms during school time is theoretically effective in reducing dengue incidence and may be a valuable additional tool for dengue control in school-aged children. The efficacy of this strategy, however, is dependent on the compliance of the target population in terms of proper and consistent wearing of uniforms and, perhaps more importantly, the proportion of bites inflicted by the Aedes population during school time

The origins of Thailand's modern Ministry of Justice and its early development.

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX97401 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Retrospective space-time analysis of H5N1 Avian Influenza emergence in Thailand

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus remains a worldwide threat to human and animal health, while the mechanisms explaining its epizootic emergence and re-emergence in poultry are largely unknown. Data from Thailand, a country that experienced significant epidemics in poultry and has recorded suspicious cases of HPAI on a daily basis since 2004, are used here to study the process of emergence. A spatial approach is employed to describe all HPAI H5N1 virus epizootics from 2004 to 2008 and to characterize the pattern of emergence: multiple independent introductions of the virus followed by moderate local spread vs. very rare emergences followed by strong local spread and rare long range diffusion jumps. Sites where epizootics originate (by foreign introduction, local persistence, or long range jump) were selected from those to which the disease subsequently spreads using a filter based on relative date and position. The spatial distribution of these selected foci was statistically analyzed, and to differentiate environmental factors from long range diffusion, we investigate the relationship of these foci with environmental exposure factors and with rearing characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During each wave of epizootics, the temporal occurrence of cases did not show a temporal interruption of more than a week. All foci were globally clustered; i.e., more than 90% of cases had a previous case within a 10 km range and a 21 day period of time, showing a strong local spread. We were able to estimate 60 km as the maximum distance for the local farm to farm dissemination process. The remaining "emergent" cases have occurred randomly over Thailand and did not show specific location, clusters, or trends. We found that these foci are not statistically related to specific environmental conditions or land cover characteristics, and most of them may be interpreted as long range diffusion jumps due to commercial practices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that only a few foci appear to have been at the origin of each HPAI epidemic wave, leading to the practical action that surveillance and control must focus on farm to farm transmission rather than on emergence or wild fauna.</p

Application of eco-friendly tools and eco-biosocial strategies to control dengue vectors in urban and peri-urban settings in Thailand

Background: Dengue is considered one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Thailand. Its incidence is increasing despite routine implementation of national dengue control programmes. This study, conducted during 2010, aimed to demonstrate an application of integrated, community-based, eco-biosocial strategies in combination with locally-produced eco-friendly vector control tools in the dengue control programme, emphasizing urban and peri-urban settings in eastern Thailand. Methodology: Three different community settings were selected and were randomly assigned to intervention and control clusters. Key community leaders and relevant governmental authorities were approached to participate in this intervention programme. Ecohealth volunteers were identified and trained in each study community. They were selected among active community health volunteers and were trained by public health experts to conduct vector control activities in their own communities using environmental management in combination with eco-friendly vector control tools. These trained ecohealth volunteers carried out outreach health education and vector control during household visits. Management of public spaces and public properties, especially solid waste management, was efficiently carried out by local municipalities. Significant reduction in the pupae per person index in the intervention clusters when compared to the control ones was used as a proxy to determine the impact of this programme. Results: Our community-based dengue vector control programme demonstrated a significant reduction in the pupae per person index during entomological surveys which were conducted at two-month intervals from May 2010 for the total of six months in the intervention and control clusters. The programme also raised awareness in applying eco-friendly vector control approaches and increased intersectoral and household participation in dengue control activities. Conclusion: An eco-friendly dengue vector control programme was successfully implemented in urban and peri-urban settings in Thailand, through intersectoral collaboration and practical action at household level, with a significant reduction in vector densities

Health and environmental impact of agricultural intensification: Translating Ecohealth program-derived knowledge into practice

International Development Research Centr

Ecologic and Sociodemographic Risk Determinants for Dengue Transmission in Urban Areas in Thailand

This study analyzed the association between household-level ecologic and individual-level sociodemographic determinants and dengue transmission in urban areas of Chachoengsao province, Thailand. The ecologic and sociodemographic variables were examined by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. In the ecologic model, dengue risk was related to households situated in the ecotope of residential mixed with commercial and densely populated urban residential areas (RCDENPURA) (aOR = 2.23, ), high historical dengue risk area (aOR = 2.06, ), and presence of household window screens (aOR = 1.62, ). In the sociodemographic model, the dengue risk was related to householders aged >45 years (aOR = 3.24, ), secondary and higher educational degrees (aOR = 2.33, ), household members >4 persons (aOR = 2.01, ), and community effort in environmental management by clean-up campaign (aOR = 1.91, ). It is possible that the preventive measures were positively correlated with dengue risk because these activities were generally carried out in particular households or communities following dengue experiences or dengue outbreaks. Interestingly, the ecotope of RCDENPURA and high historical dengue risk area appeared to be very good predictors of dengue incidences

Ecohealth research to regionally address agriculture intensification impacts on health and the environment in Southeast Asia and China

Ecohealth Field Building Leadership Initiative is a regional operational research network in Southeast Asia and China that focuses on solving human health problems associated with agricultural intensification. FBLI has 3 focus areas, namely research, capacity building and knowledge translation. FBLI gathers researchers, policy makers, community members and other stakeholders from 4 focused countries (China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam). Here we describe the operational research component that focuses on aspects of agriculture intensification on health and the environment including animal waste from pig production (Vietnam), dairy production (Indonesia), pesticide use in vegetable production (China), and health risks in rubber plantation (Thailand). Integrated approaches to the research component including survey, participatory and cross-cutting methods are discussed. The research results from Vietnam and Indonesia showed health and environmental impacts of manure management options, in particular the biogas system and turning waste to value. In Hanam of Vietnam, the health risks from biogas effluent reuse include E. coli infection (19–22% of population exposed) and G. lamblia infection (45–55% of population exposed). In Pangalengan, Indonesia, the Ecohealth approach was used to promote the production of medicinal worm and casting biofertilizer from cow manure as an environmentallyfriendly fertilizer alternative. In Chachoengsao Province of Thailand, key findings include evidences for higher risk of vectorborne diseases (dengue and chikungunya) in rubber plantation areas as well as higher microbial and heavy metal contamination of water and soil. In six villages of three townships in a County of Yunnan Province, China, issues identified were lack of farmer knowledge of pesticides, pesticide abuse, and ineffective policy to reduce pesticide abuse. Pesticide contamination was recorded from 6.1% to 12.7% of vegetables depending on sampling location in the field or market. The findings from 4 countries illustrate how Ecohealth research has been applied in health and agriculture and serve as basis for interventions for reduce health and environmental risks

Poultry farm vulnerability and risk of avian influenza re-emergence in Thailand

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) remains of concern as a major potential global threat. This article evaluates and discusses the level of vulnerability of medium and small-scale commercial poultry production systems in Thailand related to avian influenza virus re-emergence. We developed a survey on 173 farms in Nakhon Pathom province to identify the global level of vulnerability of farms, and to determine which type of farms appears to be more vulnerable. We used official regulations (the Good Agricultural Practices and Livestock Farm Standards regulations) as a reference to check whether these regulations are respected. The results show that numerous vulnerability factors subsist and could represent, in case of HPAI re-emergence, a significant risk for a large spread of the disease. Bio-security, farm management and agro-commercial practices are particularly significant on that matter: results show that these practices still need a thorough improvement on a majority of farms. Farms producing eggs (especially duck eggs) are more vulnerable than farms producing meat. Those results are consistent with the type of farms that were mostly affected during the 2004&#8211;2008 outbreaks in Thailand