Dengue in Grenada El dengue en el país de Granada

• Main Authors: André Panagos, Erik R. Lacy, Duane J. Gubler, Calum N. L. Macpherson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2005
• Subjects: Dengue; Aedes; conocimientos; actitudes y prácticas en salud; control de mosquitos; Grenada; health knowledge; attitudes; practice; mosquito control; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Kap
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/05f2f34768724fc9be5c26540a16872e

OBJECTIVES: Dengue fever is endemic in the country of Grenada and is grossly underreported as a source of morbidity. The goal of this study was to assess the status of dengue fever in a representative community in Grenada. METHODS: Surveys were conducted in the Mont Tout/Grand Anse Valley area in the parish of St. George's from March to June 1996. The objectives of the survey were to: (1) to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of residents; (2) to determine the presence of larval and adult Aedes aegypti and their potential breeding sites; and (3) to identify the seroprevalence of specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) dengue antibodies in the local population. RESULTS: Out of the 102 respondents to the KAP survey, 100 of them (98%) reported never having had dengue fever. Of the 75 persons who agreed to have blood samples taken, 70 of them (93%) (95% confidence interval = 85.1%-97.8%) tested positive with the IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating past exposure. In terms of water storage, 98 of 102 respondents (96%) stored fresh water in containers. The vector survey found 57 of the 102 households (56%) had Ae. aegypti larvae in water containers on their property, and 94 of 102 dwellings (92%) had adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes indoors. CONCLUSIONS: Although many people were familiar with dengue fever and mosquitoes, the 1996 survey found that their knowledge of the important relationships among mosquitoes, human behavior, and disease transmission was incomplete. Since 1996, continued education efforts have been made in the public school system and with national public health campaigns, yet little effort has been specifically targeted towards our study community. These data suggest Grenada has a need for continued community education that addresses dengue fever transmission and Ae. aegypti reduction. OBJETIVOS: La fiebre del dengue es endémica en el país caribeño de Granada y es grande su subnotificación como fuente de morbilidad. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la situación del ...