Vector Control

Environmental health practitioners deal with vector control issues daily. With the threat of terrorism, practitioners must also prepare for possible biologic attacks in which animal and insect vectors could be used to deliver disease-causing organisms.

This section provides information and technical assistance on vector control for preventing disease and protecting public health.

CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases – reference center for vector-borne viral and bacterial diseases

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response – how to prepare for, plan for, and respond to vector-borne agents after disasters:

• Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases
• Protect Yourself from Animal- and Insect-Related Hazards After a Natural Disaster

CDC Rodent Control – information about rodent infestations and precautions to take when cleaning rodent-infested areas

Links to information from outside CDC

Emergency Vector Control Using Chemicals Handbook (Water, Engineering and Development Centre of Loughborough University in Leicestershire, United Kingdom) – handbook providing guidance on and an overview of vector control in emergency situations for relief workers and local personnel

EntGuides (Florida A & M Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center)  – nontechnical articles on issues of public health importance that involve insects, spiders, ticks, or mites

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

• Vector Control Chapter 5A [PDF - 456 KB] – overview of the factors that influence the spread of vector-borne diseases in disasters and vector-control strategies for emergency situations

Public Health Pest Control: The National USA Manual and Related Information – identifies and manages information about arthropod and mammalian vectors of diseases affecting public health:

• Pest Control Web Sites by State
• Pest Control Web Sites by Subject
• Public-Health Pesticide Applicator Training Manual for the USA and its Territories

The Twin Cities Metro Advanced Practice Center – tools and resources for preparedness that can be used by public health departments nationwide, including

• Environmental Health Emergency Response Guide, Chapter 6: Vector Control [PDF - 658 KB] – provides quick access to needed information before an incident strikes a community

U.S. Armed Forces Pest Management Board – recommends policy, provides guidance, and coordinates the exchange of information on all matters related to pest management

• Disease Vector Ecology Profiles
• Technical Guides

World Health Organization (WHO):

• Environmental Health in Emergencies and Disasters: A Practical Guide
  • Chapter 10 - Vector and Pest Control [PDF - 320 KB]
• Vector Control - Methods for Use by Individuals and Communities

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