DECATUR, Ala. – Fogger trucks that ply many neighborhoods with mosquito-killing pesticides in the evenings likely do little to control the possible carriers of the Zika virus, according to an Auburn University researcher and a state health official.
The problem is in the timing of treatment – known as ultra-low-volume spraying – according to Derrick Mathias, an assistant professor at Auburn University who is researching mosquitoes as possible vectors for the Zika virus.
Mathias said the trucks used in many towns and cities across the state do a good job killing species such as the southern house mosquito, which is active in the evenings and known to spread diseases such as the West Nile virus.
But the Asian tiger mosquito, which is considered to be the most likely vector for a Zika outbreak in Alabama, is only active during the day.
“With this type of mosquito, the burden is more on the homeowner to address problems on their properties,” said Cheryl Clay, an Alabama Department of Public Health official who heads the vector control division for the city of Huntsville.