Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies

Rodent-borne diseases threaten global public health, impacting the urban poor. Despite widespread application of rodenticide in rodent/rodent-borne disease control programs, empirical evidence demonstrating their effectiveness is lacking. This review proposed guidelines for designing and implementin...

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Main Author: Caio Graco Zeppelini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Zoonotic Diseases
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/10
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author Caio Graco Zeppelini
author_facet Caio Graco Zeppelini
author_sort Caio Graco Zeppelini
collection DOAJ
description Rodent-borne diseases threaten global public health, impacting the urban poor. Despite widespread application of rodenticide in rodent/rodent-borne disease control programs, empirical evidence demonstrating their effectiveness is lacking. This review proposed guidelines for designing and implementing empirical studies on rodenticides as public health measures. The recommendations include: (i) the importance of the type of quasi-experimental design adopted, and how it creates robust evidence; (ii) how urban slums present both challenges for control and ideal settings for studies; (iii) partnering with pest control authorities and community engagement for long-term viability; (iv) leveraging zoonotic systems with direct/environmental transmission, reliable diagnosis, and high prevalence for effectivity assessment; (v) pairing human cohort studies to observe epidemiological links; (vi) systematic data collection and management protocols; (vii) short- and long-term goals for critical evaluation and course-correction; (viii) focus on mechanistic approach; (ix) the need for standardized reporting of the findings.
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series Zoonotic Diseases
spelling doaj-art-9fb0e1f32a1b4d7ab3b5c2e0181700b72025-08-20T03:26:56ZengMDPI AGZoonotic Diseases2813-02272025-04-01521010.3390/zoonoticdis5020010Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof StudiesCaio Graco Zeppelini0Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador 40110-040, BrazilRodent-borne diseases threaten global public health, impacting the urban poor. Despite widespread application of rodenticide in rodent/rodent-borne disease control programs, empirical evidence demonstrating their effectiveness is lacking. This review proposed guidelines for designing and implementing empirical studies on rodenticides as public health measures. The recommendations include: (i) the importance of the type of quasi-experimental design adopted, and how it creates robust evidence; (ii) how urban slums present both challenges for control and ideal settings for studies; (iii) partnering with pest control authorities and community engagement for long-term viability; (iv) leveraging zoonotic systems with direct/environmental transmission, reliable diagnosis, and high prevalence for effectivity assessment; (v) pairing human cohort studies to observe epidemiological links; (vi) systematic data collection and management protocols; (vii) short- and long-term goals for critical evaluation and course-correction; (viii) focus on mechanistic approach; (ix) the need for standardized reporting of the findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/10<i>Rattus</i>zoonotic diseasepublic healthresearch method
spellingShingle Caio Graco Zeppelini
Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
Zoonotic Diseases
<i>Rattus</i>
zoonotic disease
public health
research method
title Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
title_full Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
title_fullStr Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
title_full_unstemmed Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
title_short Chemical-Based Rodent Control Programs as a Zoonosis Control Measure: Proposal of Guidelines for Empirical Proof Studies
title_sort chemical based rodent control programs as a zoonosis control measure proposal of guidelines for empirical proof studies
topic <i>Rattus</i>
zoonotic disease
public health
research method
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0227/5/2/10
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