Vector Control
The definition of a vector is an organism capable of carrying and transmitting a disease-causing agent from one host to another. For example mosquitoes are vectors of malaria and West Nile virus, fleas are vectors of the plague, and rodents are vectors of rat bite fever. It is important to understand vectors and how a disease is transmitted, especially in disasters and emergencies when many people may be left without shelters and clean water.
Some disasters give rise to increased populations of vector or nuisance species, usually insects or rodents. Floods may create new mosquito breeding sites in disaster rubble and stagnant pools. A general lack of sanitation may increase multiplication of houseflies and rodents. People living in partially destroyed houses or primitive shelters may have lost the normal protection afforded by their homes. Under crowded conditions, people who are relatively immune carriers of parasites can set off disease transmission cycles to which weaker people and people who are not immune fall victim. Examples of disease outbreaks observed in such situations include malaria (transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes), epidemic typhus (transmitted by lice) and dengue fever (transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes).
Three Rivers has an emergency preparedness department which collaborates with the environmental department and other agencies during disasters. Vector control is one of our priorities to help protect our residents from diseases. Three Rivers has annually distributed DEET wipes, and strategically distributed environmentally friendly mosquito dunks to help protect our community from mosquitoes. We are continually working on solutions to better our control of vectors. Please review the links below to learn more about vector control.
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Some disasters give rise to increased populations of vector or nuisance species, usually insects or rodents. Floods may create new mosquito breeding sites in disaster rubble and stagnant pools. A general lack of sanitation may increase multiplication of houseflies and rodents. People living in partially destroyed houses or primitive shelters may have lost the normal protection afforded by their homes. Under crowded conditions, people who are relatively immune carriers of parasites can set off disease transmission cycles to which weaker people and people who are not immune fall victim. Examples of disease outbreaks observed in such situations include malaria (transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes), epidemic typhus (transmitted by lice) and dengue fever (transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes).
Three Rivers has an emergency preparedness department which collaborates with the environmental department and other agencies during disasters. Vector control is one of our priorities to help protect our residents from diseases. Three Rivers has annually distributed DEET wipes, and strategically distributed environmentally friendly mosquito dunks to help protect our community from mosquitoes. We are continually working on solutions to better our control of vectors. Please review the links below to learn more about vector control.