Dengue Mosquitoes Get Fiercer in High Temperatures: Tips for Prevention and Eradication

CODE.WHAT-Dengue mosquitoes will be more ferocious if they are in high weather temperatures. For this reason, people are asked to be more vigilant against dengue mosquito bites.

This appeal was conveyed by the Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases of the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) dr. Imran Pambudi, MPHM.

If we look at the number of cases from 1968, the pattern of occurrence of these high cases was during the El Nino. The air temperature increases and there is research that the mosquito is getting fiercer if he is in hot temperatures.

“So the frequency of his biting will increase 3 to 5 times when the temperature rises above 30 degrees,” said Imran during the ASEAN Dengue Day press conference, in Jakarta, Monday (12/6/2023).

He appealed to the public to increase their awareness of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). This is because El Nino can occur at any time.

“Not only that. The rainy season also needs to be watched out for considering there will be lots of stagnant water or breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes,” he added.

Data from the Ministry of Health on November 27 2022 showed DHF cases for the last 10 years started to increase every November. Peak cases in February. March-April began to see a decline in cases. This cycle has been going on for the last 10 years.

“This has to do with the rainy season cycle. So if it’s the rainy season because there are stagnant water, the cases will increase and this happens every year like this,” said Imran on the official website of the Ministry of Health.

He explained that the government has a strategy for dealing with DHF by strengthening effective, safe and sustainable vector management. Strengthening comprehensive high surveillance and responsive outbreak management.

The government also encourages increased community and institutional participation to prevent DHF, especially in eradicating mosquito nests.

Eradication of mosquito nests is carried out using 3M plus, namely first draining and brushing, second closing water reservoirs, third utilizing or recycling used goods. The plus is how to prevent bites and the breeding of dengue mosquitoes such as planting mosquito repellent plants.

“Eradicating mosquitoes is not recommended by fogging, because fogging only has a temporary effect. The effect is sometimes even detrimental to human health. Fogging greatly pollutes the environment and ultimately pollutes humans. Fogging can also make mosquitoes even resistant or immune,” he remembers

When you have minimized the use of fogging, he continued, what must be done is eradicating mosquito nests en masse, continuously. If it is endemic, it must be done throughout the year.

Another way of prevention that can be done is through the dengue vaccine. This has become one of the effective interventions in controlling dengue in Indonesia.

Currently there are two types of vaccines that already have distribution permits from BPOM and are circulating in the market, including the Dengvaxia vaccine and the Qdenga vaccine.

Even though there is already a distribution permit from BPOM, said Imran, the Ministry of Health is programmatically working with the Directorate of Immunization and the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) to include this vaccine in the vaccine program or complete basic immunization.

Pediatrician at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, dr. Mulya Rahma Karyanti, Sp.A(K) said dengue infection is caused by the dengue virus and is transmitted through the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito. He needs blood to suck in order to lay eggs.

“The incubation period is 5 to 10 days, an average of 7 days from the mosquito bite until symptoms develop. Usually these mosquitoes bite when it is bright from 08.00 to 10.00 in the morning and in the afternoon from 15.00 to 17.00. It is during this time that mosquitoes are most active in biting,” said Karyanti.

Symptoms of dengue infection that often occur are sudden high fever for 2 to 7 days, flushed face, headache, nausea sometimes vomiting, abdominal pain, bone pain, if adults often experience aches in the joints, muscle aches.

Then diarrhea, red spots on the skin, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, vomiting blood, bloody bowel movements, then cold and clammy hands and feet, weakness, sleep all the time.(rel/esg)