P25 - Passive Emanators as Part of an Integrated Vector Management Project: Lessons from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, 2024-2025

Abstract: Passive emanators (PEs) have been shown to effectively reduce indoor Aedes aegypti abundance and human–mosquito contact, providing a scalable and user-friendly complement to traditional vector control methods.

Prior to large-scale distribution of Mosquito Guardian PEs (active ingredient: 2.5 g transfluthrin), the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU) conducted an acceptability assessment to evaluate household willingness to adopt the devices. Surveys with 833 residents indicated that 76% were willing to use PEs, providing confidence to proceed while simultaneously educating and socializing the intervention.

Following this preparatory phase, PRVCU initially installed 6,891 emanators in 664 households to introduce the devices and demonstrate proper use. Building on this experience, the program then scaled to a broader distribution model in Bayamón as part of its Integrated Vector Management (IVM) project. Residents received ten emanators per household through a combination of house-to-house delivery, distribution centers, and educational events. By the end of the intervention, 5,450 households had received a total of 54,752 emanators, with coverage across seventeen priority areas ranging from 47% to 82%. House-to-house distribution accounted for 79% of all deliveries.

To assess installation adherence and user experience, follow-up was conducted via phone interviews and text surveys covering a total of 2,517 households. Under a worst-case scenario, 68% of households installed at least one emanator, and up to 93% under the best-case scenario. Using survival analysis, most households completed installation within two months. Additionally, in a sample of 831 residents, 75% reported positive experiences with the devices, indicating high acceptability and satisfaction.

Transitioning to a self-installation model following community orientation resulted in more than a threefold increase in coverage, optimizing operational resources while maintaining active community engagement. This experience demonstrates the feasibility, acceptability, and positive reception of large-scale, community-based deployment of passive emanators as a sustainable component of an integrated dengue prevention project.