Findings indicate salt can control mosquito larvae
The Liceo de Cagayan University Research & Development (R&D) team is currently focusing its efforts in addressing two of the top causes of sickness and deaths in Cagayan de Oro City: dengue hemorrhagic fever and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
Interviewing Dr Lesley C. Lubos, VP for Research, Extension & Publication of Liceo de Cagayan University wth Research Associates Angeline Beltran & Julius D.M.P. Suazo
Dr. Lesley Casas Lubos, Vice President for Research, Publication and Extension, and head of the Mosquito-Dengue Fighters Association-Misamis Oriental Chapter, said the university-funded studies is part of the school’s corporate social responsibility program aimed at addressing the city’s health and social ills.
Meteoric Rise of Dengue Cases
From 121, 000 cases in 2014, health authorities reported the incidence of dengue fever in the Philippines soared 65 percent to over 200,415 in with 598 fatalities in 2015.
Even more alarming, from 50,462 cases recorded from January 1-August 8, 2015, the number of cases increased four-fold in the last trimester of the year.
Northern Mindanao ranked fourth nationwide for the former period with 8.7% of the total cases, following Calabarzon (15.2%), Central Luzon (13%) and National Capital Region (11.1%).
In the past 50 years, the global incidence of dengue multiplied over 30 times, with prevalence rising from only 3-8 for 1955-1959, to over 125 countries by 2012.
Estimates on the annual number of cases by health organizations range from 50-100 million to as high as 390 million.
The Philippines is one of 4 countries in the Western Pacific which reported the highest dengue incidence in recent years.
Barely seven years ago, was City Health Office statistics show dengue not even ranked in the Top 10 causes of mortality in Cagayan de Oro City.
Salt as control agent for mosquito larvae
At the sidelines of the recent regional celebration of National Science and Technology Week, Lubos said a recently concluded study conducted in the top four dengue-hit barangays of Cagayan de Oro indicates 3% sea salt or iodized salt is effective in controlling mosquito larvae.
The study team was led by Angeline D. Beltran with Mark Archibald D. Balindong, Kervin Caballes, Angel C. Cabugwason and Greenly Sol S. Lecasno as members under the supervision of Dr. Lubos.
A follow-up study that would be completed this October is testing the efficacy of the saline solution in controlling mosquito larvae which may be present in other types of water from the rain, canals, rivers and similar waterways.
Another study conducted by the team “Ecological Survey of Aedes Mosquito Larvae in selected Dengue outbreak villages in Cagayan de Oro City” identified Aedes aegypti as the dominant species, with more Aedes larvae during the dry season.
Aedes Aegypti
A larval survey was conducted in each study area to determine the main breeding sites of dengue vector mosquitoes and examine the relationship between the ecological conditions surrounding the houses and the variation in larval density among houses.
The study suggests that larval survey program could serve as a tool not only to monitor the local dengue vector distribution but also to provide objective information for taking appropriate action by the community against dengue vectors.
As a follow up to these two initial efforts, Dr. Lubos has programmed another study “Dengue Incidence using Climate Variables as Predictors” which aims to investigate the relationship of morbidity with humidity, temperature, and rainfall.
The model in this study was generated using the monthly data from January 2011 to December 2014. The data on climate variables were gathered from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), and the numbers of dengue cases in Cagayan de Oro City were gathered from the Department of Health (DOH).
The first step in conducting the linear regression model was to have a cross-correlation between morbidity and the climate variables, humidity, rainfall and temperature. After the preliminary model was set, diagnostic checking followed which was to inspect visually the scatter diagram between morbidity and the residuals of the model.
Results showed that among the three variables (humidity, temperature and rainfall), temperature had the highest correlation with morbidity. This shows that temperature could better explain the variance in the variable morbidity.
“The temperature is a good predictor of the morbidity rate of dengue cases in Cagayan de Oro City,” Dr. Lubos noted. “However, there should be further investigation as to the unseen variables that would affect the morbidity rate.”
MSM Practices and Attitudes in connection with HIV-AIDS
In another study aimed at another leading cause of morbidity in the city, the team just completed “Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Men Having Sex with Men.”
The study team is led by Julius Denn Mikell P. Suazo with Crisfe O. Banzon, Camille S. Daaca and Ruth Bella M. Dongallo as members, under the supervision of Dr. Lubos and Dr. Judith Dalman.
Stop AIDS sign.
The study investigated the extent of knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among men having sex with men.
It focused on (1) the profile of the respondents in terms of age, marital status, educational level, and employment status, (2) the extent of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding HIV/AIDS among men having sex with men, (3) the common sexual practices used by men having sex with men in relation to HIV/AIDS; and (4) the variance on the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and sexual practices of MSM regarding HIV/AIDS when grouped according profile.
Using the descriptive research design, the analysis yielded the following results: (1) Most of the respondents belong to adolescent years, mostly single, obtained higher education, and unemployed. (2) The respondents had sufficient knowledge on the mode of transmission but had insufficient knowledge about the disease process.
The respondents show a positive attitude to those people living with HIV/AIDS by not discriminating against them. The respondents were aware that multiple sex partners are risk factors for developing HIV/AIDS and kissing is not a factor for transmission of the virus.
However, they also believed that a strong faith in God will infect them with the virus. (3) The respondents had good sexual practices with regards to HIV/AIDS as they used condoms to protect themselves against the virus and never engage with multiple sex partners. (4) There is no significant difference on the respondent’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs when grouped according to age, marital status, educational level, and, employment status.
But there appears to be a significant difference in the respondent’s practices when grouped according to age but not when grouped according to marital status, educational level, and employment status. In conclusion, the respondents are knowledgeable about the mode of transmission but have insufficient knowledge to the disease process.
The Department of Health (DOH) Region 10 and the City Health Office (CHO) have recorded sixty-five (65) HIV-Aids cases in Cagayan de Oro City from January to September, 2015.
Cagayan de Oro City had the highest number of HIV-ADIS cases in Region 10 followed by the cities of Iligan, Valencia, Ozamiz, and Malaybalay. It has listed a total 215 HIV-AIDS cases since 1998.
The CHO said many of those who tested positive were MSM with the number of infected females significantly down since the 1990s.
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