Unit Kawalan Penyakit Bawaan Vektor DHO Kuala Muda

Group B

DHO Kuala Muda

Date: 13/01/2008

Our group, group D, met up in the bilik gerakan of the Unit Kawalan Penyakit Bawaan Vektor of Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Kuala Muda at 9.00 a.m. We were addressed by Mr.Nordin bin Omar, the Penolong Pegawai Kesihatan Persekitaran Kanan of the unit. He is in-charge of the Control and Surveillance division of the unit as well. After that, Mr Burke Patrick Lumuria, who is one of the Penolong Pegawai Kesihtan Persekitaran of the unit, gave us a briefing on our surveillance trip of the day. It was an Aedes Surveillance to be done at locations where dengue cases were newly reported.

Surveillance team were sent to 4 locations: Jalan Sekerat, Kampung Sungai Jagung, Bandar Laguna Merbok and Gurun. Group D was divided to two teams, consisting of 6 members each, which followed the Bandar Laguna Merbok and Gurun teams. At 10.00 a.m., the teams followed the unit jeep to their respective locations.

At the location of each team, the house of the patient with dengue fever was identified and surveillance for Aedes mosquito breeding spots was done in houses within 200m radius from the patient's house. The group of six were again divided into 3 groups and each two members followed two unit officers for the survey. In each house, possible breeding spots (clear, stagnant water) were checked inside and outside the house e.g. decorative pots, fish ponds, bathroom pails,etc. ABATE 500 SG was put in possible breeding spots found. Announcement of fogging in the evening was made in each house and a pamphlet of the disease was given. The survey lasted for about two hours in both locations, and at the end of survey both teams reported of finding Aedes mosquito larvae in few of the houses surveyed. The unit officers explained that malarial virus is commonly found in estates while filiriasis virus in swamp areas.

After lunch break, at 2.30 p.m, Group D members met up again in the bilik gerakan of the Unit Kawalan Penyakit Bawaan Vektor of Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Kuala Muda. Mr.Lumuria gave us a short talk about vector borne diseases and how the unit function in actively preventing the spread of vector borne disease in the district. He also briefed us about the various detection methods, investigations done, notification and summons charges as well as management of the disease spread (fogging). Some interesting facts given:

• An outbreak for dengue is described when 2 cases are detected within 2 weeks of detection of the first case.
• An outbreak for malaria, on the other hand, is described even with detection of one case in a location.
• He also told if both cases are not within 200m radius, then it is NOT considered as an outbreak.
• Compound charges start from RM100 for domestic household, RM150 for schools, RM300 - RM10,000 for factories, etc.
• In apartments, fogging done from top most floor to the ground floor because mosquitoes could travel through the lifts!

After the talk, Mr. Lumuria took us to see the mosquito larvae collected by one of our team members: it was an Aedes albopictus mosquito larva. Also, he showed us the fogging machine AF-35, used in fogging within radius of 200m. There is also the Ultra Low Volume fogging which is done at 400m radius for the house where the case detected. He explained how they work and the various fogging agents:

Type 1 – dangerous, Type 2 – malathion (organophosphate). Type 3 – resigen, Type 4 – domestic insectitide (ridsect)

The agents may be water or oil based but, the interesting fact is that, oil-based is more used, though both are equally effective, because the public believes a smoky fogging method is more effective!

After the talk, at 5.30p.m., the group members were divided into two teams followed the fogging unit for fogging in two locations: Jalan Sekerat and Kampong Sungai Jagung.

At the locations, the fogging team head, Mr.Josli first announced about the fogging in each household and surrounding areas. Food items were told to kept closed and members of the family were told to be outside their homes for 30mins after fogging. After that the team members followed the unit officers for fogging. The ULV team did the fogging in the surrounding area first, and then fogging using the AF-35 was done inside the houses of the location. Man, was it smoking! With that, at 7.00p.m our team members called it a day.