Presented by Kriztian Luna Corona at the 94th Annual Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) Conference in Rancho Mirage, CA. 

Abstract:

 The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (District), serving nearly two million residents in Los Angeles County, has launched the SGV Mosquito Match program. This initiative involves releasing Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes with the goal of reducing the local Aedes mosquito population over time in Bassett Park, an area with historically high mosquito activity. To assess community perceptions and acceptance of this Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), two surveys were conducted. The first, SIT Attitude Survey 2025 (n=131), gathered general information on mosquito knowledge and perceived mosquito activity levels, familiarity with the District, and opinions about SIT from San Gabriel Valley residents attending community events across the District. The second survey, SIT in the SGV (n= 95), specifically targeted residents of La Puente and the unincorporated community of Bassett, where releases were planned. This longer survey measured residents’ knowledge of the District, mosquito biology and disease transmission, SIT, and their willingness to support financial investments in the program. Surveys were distributed in both paper and online formats (via SurveyMonkey) through community events, targeted ads, mailers, and door hangers. Traditional door-to-door survey deployment was difficult because of the political landscape and fear of government agencies among the community during the time of distribution. Results indicate residents are concerned about mosquito-borne diseases and value investment in innovative control methods. However, findings also highlight limited awareness of the District and its services, as well as hesitation to support increased financial investment due to personal economic concerns. Vector Control Districts could benefit from similar survey deployments to understand constituent concerns and use the information to create relevant campaigns. 

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