Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California

• Executive director's comments, Christopher Voight
• California Mosquito Abatement Disticts ~ Mosquito District Managers ~ Photo Gallery
• District map (PDF from MVCAC)

California’s Three-Pronged Attack on Mosquitoes: A Model Program

The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC), represents 60 mosquito and vector control programs covering more than 32 million California residents within a 38,000 square mile area. The state’s mosquito control program, widely regarded as one of most effective in the world, has greatly limited or eliminated the transmission of once-common mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria.

The California districts incorporate a three-pronged attack—surveillance, public education and mosquito control.

Surveillance to determine the distribution of the vector and pathogen before, during and after control programs are undertaken. The goal of surveillance is to efficiently target control efforts, monitor their continued efficacy and evaluate their overall success.

Public education includes how to design, establish and manage large mosquito control programs. Among the logistical onsiderations: public relations, financial, managerial, personnel and legal issues.

Mosquito control employs the latest physical, biological and chemical means to reduce mosquito populations near population centers. Tailored for a wide variety of landscapes, including agricultural and natural wetlands and population centers. Control methods include the use of biological agents (mosquitofish, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) sensible irrigation practices and landscape alterations to reduce breeding sources; chemical larvicides; and ground-based or aerial adulticide applications.

	Efficient and effective methods of mosquito control honed over decades of use in California can be exported to Africa with immediate effects. — Christopher J. Voight, Executive Director, MVCAC

Message from the Executive Director

California's mosquito control professionals are ready to provide their considerable experience in controlling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases to the African peoples.  Efficient and effective methods of mosquito control honed over decades of use in California can be exported to Africa with immediate effects.  Success will come with the team approach incorporating integrated pest management (IPM).  The results will be dramatic reductions in the transmission of malaria in Africa, just as IPM has so effectively limited the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses in California.—Christopher Voight, Executive Director, MVCAC

MVCAC District Managers, February 1, 2005. (Photo by Tracy Lynn) (Click to enlarge and identify)