Louisiana Mosquito Abatement Plan
Because of the impact of mosquitoes in Louisiana on humans and domestic and wild animals, the negative effect on tourism and especially their potential as carriers of organisms that cause diseases, the first mosquito abatement districts were established in the early 1960s. Since then, with the help of the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association (LMCA) and the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (AgCenter) entomologists, several other parishes have established mosquito control programs.
According to a survey of several Louisiana Mosquito Control Association (LMCA) members, including directors of currently active Mosquito Abatement Districts, conducted by the AgCenter in May 2002, 13 parishes have in-house mosquito control programs, 8 parishes have programs conducted by contract mosquito control companies, 9 parishes are actively pursuing development of abatement programs, and 2 parishes have passed measures to fund abatement but have no programs in place. These statistics are dynamic because of the West Nile virus situation, which, as of January 2003, has resulted in more than 329 confirmed cases, with 24 deaths associated with this form of encephalitis. Even though efforts are being made to establish abatement programs throughout Louisiana, as of the fall of 2002, more than one-half of the state’s parishes remain without some form of an organized mosquito management strategy. The severity of the West Nile virus outbreak, the continued threat of St. Louis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and the potential threat of even more serious mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria make the need for mosquito abatement throughout Louisiana imperative.
A template for a mosquito abatement plan called Louisiana Mosquito Abatement Plan (LAMAP) was developed by a team of AgCenter scientists based on the members’ expertise and after analyzing existing plans through a survey of those parishes already involved in organized mosquito abatement programs. This plan draws on information in the LMCA Training Manual and its Integrated Mosquito Management policy. In addition, members of the LMCA and its Technical Advisory Committee, personnel from the Louisiana Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) and the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health (DHH/OPH) have provided input into the development of this template. It is hoped that parishes will use this planning tool to develop mosquito control programs designed to meet their specific needs (see Appendix A. The State Enabling Act, which allows for the creation of such programs).
The Components of Louisiana Mosquito Abatement Plan are: (1) Mosquito Sampling and Surveillance, (2) Mapping, (3) Physical Control (Source Reduction), (4) Biological Control, (5) Chemical Control (Larvicides & Adulticides), (6) Resistance Surveillance, (7) Disease Surveillance, (8) Public Education & Community Outreach and (9) Budget. The following outline details those LAMAP components.
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