Environmental & Public Health Flashcards

When conducting a public health risk assessment for bed bug infestations in multi-unit housing, which impact should be given the highest priority beyond direct bites?

Answer: Mental health impacts including anxiety, insomnia, and social stigma

Bed bug infestations are well-documented to cause significant psychological harm including anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in affected residents.

Which mosquito surveillance method provides the best data for assessing adult mosquito population density in a vector control program?

Answer: CDC light trap collections with CO2 attractant

CDC light traps baited with CO2 attract and capture host-seeking adult female mosquitoes, providing direct density estimates for vector control decisions.

A pesticide label states 'Do not apply when bees are foraging.' What regulatory framework requires this protective language?

Answer: FIFRA label requirements for pollinators and non-target organism protection

FIFRA requires that pesticide labels include language protecting pollinators when the active ingredient poses risk to bees, making label compliance legally mandatory.

In IPM programs for schools, why are gel baits preferred over sprays for cockroach control?

Answer: Gel baits minimize pesticide exposure to children by placing toxicant in targeted, inaccessible locations

Gel baits placed in cracks and crevices dramatically reduce pesticide broadcast, limiting children's exposure while effectively targeting cockroaches at harborage sites.

Which biomarker is used to monitor human exposure to organophosphate insecticides in occupational health screenings?

Answer: Red blood cell cholinesterase activity

Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholinesterase, and measuring red blood cell cholinesterase activity is the standard biomonitoring method for occupational exposure.

What is the primary reason that source reduction is considered the cornerstone of mosquito control programs?

Answer: Eliminating larval habitat prevents mosquito development before vectors can emerge

Removing standing water eliminates breeding sites, preventing mosquito populations from developing and reducing vector density at the source before adult emergence.

Which vector-borne disease has been associated with urban heat islands because its primary mosquito vector thrives at elevated temperatures?

Answer: Chikungunya and dengue transmitted by Aedes albopictus

Aedes albopictus activity and reproduction accelerate at higher temperatures, and urban heat islands create favorable conditions for chikungunya and dengue transmission.