I collaborate with Dr. Stephanie Richards, other colleagues and students to investigate the effectiveness of control measures in preventing or reducing exposure of workers and the public to tick and mosquito bites. These studies documented the role of personal protective equipment (i.e., permethrin-treated clothing) in reducing exposure of high-risk workers to tick bites, the extent of protection provided by pesticide barrier sprays to residential communities against mosquito bites, and also discussed the importance of mosquito control programs as a pro-active approach in preventing vector-borne diseases.
Related Publications
Bunn JP*, Balanay JG and Richards SL (2019). Evaluation of Barrier Sprays for Controlling Mosquitoes in Eastern North Carolina: Can Land Cover and Spatial Analyses Improve Predictions of Efficacy? Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 35(1): 19-31. doi:10.2987/18-6762.1
Dillane D*, Richards SL, Balanay JG and Langley R (2019). Risk Assessment and Recommendations for Forester Exposure to Hymenoptera. Journal of Agromedicine. 24(2): 146-156. doi:10.1080/1059924X.2019.1567425
Sullivan KM, Poffley A, Funkhouser S, Driver J, Ross J, Ospina M, Calafat AM, Beard CB, White A, Balanay J, Richards S, Dyer M, Mathers TN and Meshnick S (2019). Bioabsorption and Effectiveness of Long-Lasting Permethrin-Treated Uniforms over Three Months Among North Carolina Outdoor Workers. Parasites and Vectors 12:52. doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3314-1
Knecht H*, Richards S, Balanay J and White A (2018). Impact of Mosquito Age and Insecticide Exposure on Vector Competence of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) for Zika Virus. Pathogens 7(3): 67. doi:10.3390/pathogens7030067
Richards SL, Agada N*, Balanay JG and White AV (2018). Permethrin Treated Clothing to Protect Outdoor Workers: Evaluation of Different Methods for Mosquito Exposure Against Populations of Differing Resistance Status. Pathogen and Global Health 112(1): 13-21. doi: 10.1080/20477724.2018.1437692
Richards, SL, Balanay JG, White AV, Hope J, Vandock K, Byrd BD, and Reiskind MH (2018). Insecticide Susceptibility Screening against Culex and Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes from the United States. Journal of Medical Entomology 55(2): 398-407. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjx198
Richards SL, Balanay JG, Byrd BD, Reiskind MH and Styers DM (2017). Regional Survey of Mosquito Control Knowledge and Usage in North Carolina. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 33(4): 331-339.
Richards SL, Volkan J*, Balanay JG, Vandock K (2017). Evaluation of Bifenthrin and Deltamethrin Barrier Sprays for Mosquito Control in Eastern North Carolina. Journal of Medical Entomology 54(6): 1659-1665. doi:10.1093/jme/tjx152
Richards SL, White AV and Balanay JG (2017). Potential for sublethal insecticide exposure to impact vector competence of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) for dengue and Zika viruses. Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine 8: 53-57.
Richards, SL, Balanay JG, Fields M* and Vandock K (2017). Baseline Insecticide Susceptibility Screening against Six Active Ingredients for Culex and Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes in the United States. Journal of Medical Entomology 54(3): 682-695.
Richards SL, Balanay JG, Harris J*, Banks V* and Meshnick S (2017). Residual Effectiveness of Permethrin-Treated Clothing for Prevention of Mosquito Bites Under Simulated Conditions. Journal of Environmental Health 79(8): 8-15.
Stott RE*, Richards SL, Balanay JG and Martin GL (2016). Prevention of Tick Exposure in Environmental Health Specialists Working in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. Journal of Environmental Health 78(10): E1-E7.
VanDusen AE*, Richards SL and Balanay JG (2016). Evaluation of Bifenthrin Barrier Sprays on Foliage in a Suburban Eastern North Carolina Neighborhood. Pest Management Science 72: 1004-1012.
Richards SL, Balanay JG and Harris JW* (2015). Effectiveness of Permethrin-Treated Clothing to Prevent Tick Exposure in Foresters in the Central Appalachian Region of the United States. International Journal of Environmental Health Research 25(4): 453-462.
Del Rosario K*, Richards S, Anderson A and Balanay J (2014). Current Status of Mosquito Control Programs in North Carolina: The Need for Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Journal of Environmental Health 76(8): 8-15.
