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A knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) survey and an extensive entomologic survey were conducted in two sub-districts of Kamphaeng Phet province, Thailand, to test the hypothesis that correct dengue knowledge and practice reduce dengue vector populations. We found a negative association between respondents knowledge of preventive measures and the number of unprotected containers in and around their houses. Knowledge of development sites was positively associated with unprotected containers. No relationships existed between knowledge of dengue and adult mosquito reduction practices. A higher number of unprotected containers increased the likelihood of the house being infested with one or more adult Aedes aegypti. Surprisingly, houses of respondents that used mosquito coils or had screening on doors and windows were significantly more likely to be infested (odds ratio =2.0) with adult Ae. aegypti. We conclude that there is a direct link between knowledge on dengue prevention and container protection practices, whereas measures against adult mosquitoes are used only when people experience a mosquito nuisance problem.
Received October 14, 2005. Accepted for publication November 29, 2005.
Acknowledgments: We thank the residents of Kon Tee and Na Bo Kham, Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand for participating in the KAP survey and allowing us to collect mosquitoes in their houses. The collaboration with the staff at the Public Health Offices of Kon Tee and Na Bo Kham and the local public health volunteers is greatly appreciated. We also thank the staff of the Kamphaeng Phet Entomology Laboratory of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science for their help in our studies. Jared Aldstadt, Arthur Getis, and Birgit van Benthem are acknowledged for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.
Financial support: This study was supported by grant AI-034533 from the National Institutes of Health.
* Address correspondence to Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt, Department of Entomology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616. E-mail: cjmkoenraadt{at}ucdavis.edu
Authors addresses: Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt and Thomas W. Scott, Department of Entomology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Telephone: 530-754-4196, Fax: 530-752-1537, E-mails: cjmkoenraadt{at}ucdavis.edu and twscott{at}ucdavis.edu. Wieteke Tuiten, Ratana Sithiprasasna, Udom Kijchalao, and James W. Jones, Department of Entomology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, 315/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Telephone: 66-2-644-4888, Fax: 66-2-354-7885, E-mails: ratanas{at}afrims.org, udomk{at}afrims.org, james.jones{at}afrims.org, and wtuiten{at}hotmail.com.
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