Emergency Management of Mosquito-Borne Disease Outbreaks: Guidelines for Mosquito Control Programs

Speaker: Dan Sinclair, Environmental Health Analyst, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, VA

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is currently in the process of devising national guidelines for the emergency management of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks. This innovative document covers a number of issues and potential solutions, including the role and importance of effective surveillance and the proper timing of response activities during and after natural disasters. Furthermore, we address the role of risk assessment and communication to the public, the proactive involvement of all stakeholders, and the selection of appropriate and effective mosquito control measures. We also focus on areas of particular interest to under-funded programs, such as resource sharing and access to the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). In an era of unprecedented global travel, a changing climate and the potential for shifting vector patterns, it is our fervent hope that these guidelines will help the mosquito control and public health communities prepare now for the challenge of emergency management of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks.