Elton Rogozi1, Teita Myrseli1, Viola Jani1, Blerina Kolgjini2
1 Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania;
2Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania.
The beginnings of mosquito control studies in Albania dated 1922 by Dr. Ashta. Gambusiaaffinis, a larvivorous fish, was introduced in 1931 as an effective biological method for mosquito larvae control. During the 1931-1933, the American Rockefeller Foundation supported widely marshes drainage throughout the country. Malaria was hyper endemic in Albania and a real public health problem in the beginning of 19th Century. Full campaign on malaria eradication started in 1947, achieving within twenty years. DDT was widely used in 1946 and in 1957, following the WHO recommendations, a strategic plan for malaria eradication was implemented. The drainage of the marshes, total reclamation of water irrigation and drainage system, as well as door to door campaign for the diagnose of malaria in human were performed. Agricultural, environmental and economical interventions were multilaterally comprehended in the program. Total malaria control in Albania was achieved in 1967. Further studies on malaria Anopheles vectors showed a gained insecticide resistance, except malathion. The increased of malaria imported cases in the recent years, raised awareness of reemerging potential in the country. There was an interruption on mosquito control during the 90’s, meanwhile 2014 marked the beginning of the national program on mosquito larval control based in biological agents, conducted yearly to date by the Institute of Public Health. Future challenges on the mosquito control would be focused on nano-tech repellent, extraction of new substances from different plant, their impregnation in textiles and the evaluation process of the efficacy against mosquito bite in the field.
Keywords: control program, infectious diseases, mosquito.