The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

June, 1951 The Health Bulletin 37and typhus control activities, while forthe current fiscal year this was reducedto $30,900.In reorganizing these programs, wehave adopted a new approach to thecontrol of arthropod-borne diseases, emphasisnow being placed on intensive,rather than extensive operations. Wherewell defined problems formerly existed,the abatement of which required theemployment of large forces of men, inaccordance with well established andproved methods or procedure, it is nowdifficult at time to determine whether ornot the diseases exist in a locality. Reportswere received during the yearfrom several areas, indicating that alarge number of cases of malaria existed.Upon detailed investigations, however,it was determined that the reports werebased on a faulty diagnosis. In cooperationwith the Public Health Service, thework of the laboratory technicians waschecked by a physician of the PublicHealth Service who made an evaluationof the laboratories in two hospitals andit was determined that the technicianshad mistaken blood platelets or artifactsfor the Plasmodia. We have also foundthat it is difficult to establish the typhusfever focci, since physicians frequentlyreport typhus and other Rickettsial diseases,in accordance with clinical diagnoses,before receiving laboratory reports.As a result, a number of cases oftyphus fever have been reported asRocky Mountain Spotted Fever, andvice-versa.In addition to this surveillance programon which every effort is made tocorrectly establish the existence and locationof these diseases, one of the principalactivities has been the preventionof new hazards, such as improperly constructedimpoundments which wouldbreed mosquitoes. Impounded water regulationsrequire that a permit be obtainedbefore a pond is built, and thebuilder agrees to maintain the pond insuch a manner that it will not breedmosquitoes. We have assisted the localhealth departments in connection withthis work, and have made a great numberof the inspections directly from thisoffice. During the year, 716 applicationsfor permits to build ponds were received.Conferences were held with the U. S.Public Health Service and the U. S.Corps of Engineers, as well as representativesof other states, relative toarmy regulations in connection with theconstruction of large power reservoirs.We were particularly concerned with the14,000 acres of Buggs Island Reservoirlocated in North Carolina. It has finallybeen agreed by the Corps of Engineersthat they would follow our regulationsin the construction of this impoundment,and have adopted mosquito controlplans which are agreeable to us.Other major impoundments which willprobably be built in the near future willalso require close supervision of controloperations.Even though the drastic reduction inFederal appropriations have reduced insectand rodent control activities inmany localities, considerable work isstill being carried on with local funds.During the year, 20 counties and 2 citiesconducted DDT residual spraying programson which 40,857 premises weresprayed. Fly control operations of sometype were carried out in most of thecounties. Five cities maintained ratproofingprograms. DDT dusting for ratectoparasites was done on a large scalein 5 cities, and regular rat-poisoningactivities were in operation in 13 cities.Emphasis is still being placed on properstorage, collection, and disposal of garbageand refuse as another phase of ourinsect and rodent control program.The entomologist with the Divisionassisted local health departments inconnection with the Identification ofrat ectoparasites, miscellaneous insects,such as ticks, lice, etc., and also carriedon the laboratory examination of bloodslides and made special investigations.During the year, 1438 blood slides weretaken at Roanoke Rapids and sent tothe U. S. Public Health Service at Atlantafor examination. Two thousandeight hundred and thirty-five bloodslides were examined by State andMalaria Control personnel. These bloodslides came from school surveys madein 1949, and also from those sent in by