Predatory fish are used to prevent dengue

To help combat dengue fever, the city council of Guarujá, a coastal city in São Paulo, has used small predatory fish in places with a large accumulation of water. The objective is to prevent the larvae from developing and transforming into Aedes aegypti adult, dengue-transmitting mosquito.

According to the city of Guarujá, the fish used for the action are those of the species Poecilia Reticulata, popularly known as “barrigudinhos”. They feed predominantly on dengue mosquito larvae, in addition to being resistant to temperature variations and organic water pollution. Therefore, they are commonly chosen for actions to combat the disease.

According to Marcos Antônio Ramos, general supervisor of entomological surveillance, among the advantages of using the “barrigudinhos” for this project is the reduction in the use of chemical products in the water, in addition to the ease of finding them.

“It is an environmental biological control, as fish are easily found in nature, in several streams in the City. In addition to eliminating the need for the use of insecticides”, he pointed out in a press release.

Furthermore, the small size of the fish favors its movement in narrow areas due to vegetation or the accumulation of garbage. Among the main points chosen for the action of these species are abandoned swimming pools, works stopped or in progress, as well as elevator shafts. These are possible breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito, increasing the chance of transmission of the virus.

When placed in these reservoirs, the fish reproduce and are monitored by health surveillance agents. At the moment, the municipality of Guarujá is monitoring 87 of these locations.