Link Between Diarrhea and Dengue: Fecal Contamination and Dengue Mosquito Production in Household Water, 2014

Diarrheal diseases and dengue fever are major global health problems resulting in millions of deaths every year and billions of people live in risk areas. In the Southeast Asian region both diseases are prevalent and infection rates are high. In communities where provision of clean water is inadequate, storage of water for domestic use is crucial. Fecal contamination of stored water is a common source of diarrhea. Stored water is also a potential breeding site for dengue mosquitoes. Little is known of the role of stored household water for the dual risk of diarrhea and dengue. The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to assess health risks associated with household water storage by identifying relationships between household water management, contaminated drinking water, and mosquito production in household water containers. The project will identify water management practices and key vector producing container types, quantify fecal contamination and its effect on mosquito production. Results will assist in development of integrated disease control strategies appropriate for the Southeast Asian region.
The expected outputs of the project are:
1) Household water management practices in selected study communities identified;
2) Key container types i dentified from which the majority of Aedes aegypti emerge;
3) Total coliforms and E. coli detected and quantified in water stored in domestic containers; and
4) Relationship between coliform contamination of drinking water and mosquito production in house hold storage containers identified and quantified.