Abstract

Mosquito control in the U.S. is both technically specialized and labor intensive with mosquito control programs (MCPs) carrying out services at federal, state, and local levels. The scope of each MCP varies depending on the needs of the region. In the 1970s, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources formed the Public Health Pest Management (PHPM) section to play an active leadership role in training and support for local mosquito control programs across the state. PHPM was disbanded, however, in July 2011 due to state budget cuts. The extent to which recent budget shortfalls have impacted services provided by MCPs is largely unknown. Consequently, the primary objectives of the study described in this article were to 1) assess the current status of MCPs in North Carolina, 2) evaluate the extent to which the operational status of local MCPs affects public health, and 3) evaluate the impacts of losing the PHPM section in North Carolina.