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The Global Challenge of Vector-Borne Diseases and How to Control Them

Examine the global challenge of vector-borne diseases and how vector control practices can reduce the risk to public health.

Overview
Controlling Vector-Borne Disease Overview
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Understand how mosquitoes and other arthropod disease vectors can be controlled

The spread of vector-borne diseases, including malaria, Zika virus and dengue fever, are of global concern.

In 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released their Global Vector Control Response (GVCR) document which promotes a stronger, strategic worldwide approach to controlling vectors of disease.

On this course, you will learn about a wide range of vectors and the diseases they transmit, from the Aedes mosquito and the Zika virus, to the tsetse fly and African sleeping sickness.

You will explore the WHO GVCR document, and will also discover how vector-borne diseases are distributed, and the suitability of vector control practices designed to prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases.

What topics will you cover?

  • A history of vector control
  • WHO global vector response
  • Vector biology
  • Traditional vector control
  • Modern vector control
  • Designing surveillance & behaviour change programmes and RCTS

What will you achieve? 

By the end of the course, you'll be able to: 

  • Describe the lifecycle of mosquitoes, sandflies, tsetse flies, triamtoma bugs, and ticks
  • Describe the distribution of these arthropods and diseases transmitted
  • Explore and understand the control methods used against these vectors
  • Evaluate the pros and cons of different vector control strategies
  • Describe examples of successes in vector control
  • Describe how to implement control strategies most effectively and how to design robust studies to collect scientifically rigorous data

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who has an interest in learning more about arthropod disease vectors, their fascinating biology, and how they are controlled. 

It is ideal for health workers, vector control researchers, as well as those working and living in countries affected by vector-borne diseases.

Who developed the course? 

  • London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
  • ARCTEC (Anthropod Control Product Test Centre)
  • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
  • IVCC (Innovative Vector Control Consortium)