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Mosquitoes may become resistant to fogging, says expert
Fogging is one method of exterminating the Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of the dengue virus, however it must be used in the right dosage.
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Based on a survey conducted by the Health Ministry, resistant mosquitoes are found in areas that have already been fogged, thereby allowing denue to reemerge.
(Shutterstock.com/PongMoji)
F
ogging is one method of exterminating the Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of the dengue virus, however it must be used in the right dosage.
Epidemiology expert, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono from the University of Indonesia's School of Community Health revealed that over-fogging might allow mosquitoes to become resistant.
“According to my research in Jakarta and Depok, there is a community unit that fogs its area every month. If they keep it up, the mosquitoes in that area will be resistant in two years,” Miko said during a health discussion in Jakarta on Saturday as reported by kompas.com.
Based on a survey held by the Health Ministry, resistant mosquitoes are found in areas that have already been fogged, therefore allowing dengue to reemerge in said areas.
Another cause of resistance is the incorrect dosage of fogging formula and uneven coverage of houses that receive the fogging. Miko said that the government needed to announce to the public about the optimum potency level of the fogging formula. If there is already resistance, the variety of fogging formula has to be changed.
Director of zoonotic and vector-borne disease control and prevention at the Health Ministry, Vensya Sihotang, said fogging was the last step taken if dengue cases were recorded in an area. The more important thing is to prevent the growth of mosquito larvae.
Referring to the risk of resistant mosquitoes caused by fogging, Vensya said coordination with the Agriculture Ministry was deemed necessary. (asw)
