Vector Control Strategies- Enhancing Capacity for Vector Surveillance and Control to Prevent Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya Infection in Puerto Rico - Financed in part by Prevention and Public Health Funds

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the availability of funds to strengthen the capacity to perform vector control activities in Puerto Rico. This FOA is designed to fund activities to increase the surveillance of vectors and arboviruses and decrease the mosquito population. The purpose of the program is to establish a Vector Control Unit (VCU) to oversee and implement comprehensive vector control activities in Puerto Rico. The overall goals of the program include decreasing the transmission of vector-borne diseases and reducing the morbidity and mortality of vector-borne diseases. In order to accomplish long-range, environmentally sound pest control, the management and manipulation of pests must be accomplished using all available pest control methods. The combination of methods into one ecologically-valid program is referred to as Integrated Vector Management (IVM). IVM will be the overarching strategy to protecting vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico against arboviruses such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. A priority and immediate objective of the VCU would be to reduce the density of mosquito vectors, with a special emphasis on densely populated areas where pregnant women live, as a protective measure to reduce the risk of Zika virus transmission.