Impact of education campaign on community-based vector control in hastening the process of elimination of

Globally mosquito-borne lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for elimination by 2020. Towards this goal, the scope of community-based vector control as a supplementary strategy to mass drug admin-istration (MDA)was assessed through an intensive education campaign and evaluated using pre- and post-educational surveys in an intervention and comparison village in Tamil Nadu, South India. Environmental and entomological indicators for breeding sites and mosquito density were exam-ined before and after the intervention. Significant (P < 0.05) increase in knowledge was observed in intervention area with regard to transmission and control of LF. Relative change between interven-tion and comparison villages before and after in-tervention was also significant (z 5>1.96). Multiple mosquito control and personal protec-tionmethods were in use during the post-interven-tion assessment and was evident from the significantly (P < 0.05) higher average score. Breeding sources declined significantly (P < 0.05) in the intervention village with a significant rela-tive change (z5 4.32). Significant reduction in per man-hour indoor resting density of mosquitoes was observed in the intervention area compared to baseline. The per capita cost for reducing 87% of the mosquito density was $ 0.32 indicating the effectiveness of community-based approach. The usefulness of this strategy in the elimination of LF is discussed