Insects:
(1) may be on a passenger or crew member
(2) may be in baggage or cargo
(3) may fly in through an open door
Insects on an airplane can:
(1) transmit yellow fever or other arboviruses (West Nile, dengue, Japanese encephalitis)
(2) transmit malaria
(3) transmit other infectious diseases (leishmaniasis, filariasis)
(4) introduce pests into a susceptible region
Risk factors for an insect problem on a flight:
(1) flight originating in a tropical or subtropical region
(2) flight originating in a developing country
(3) high levels of insect activity around the airplane
(4) poor insect control about baggage and cargo
(5) poor control of carry-on luggage
Disinsection may take the form of:
(1) treatment of baggage and cargo with insecticides
(2) spraying insecticide into high risk areas such as bathrooms
(3) spraying insecticde into the cabin prior to take-off
(4) spraying insecticide into the cabin prior to disembarkation
Concerns about insecticides:
(1) insect resistance
(2) allergy to the agent
(3) toxicity of the agent to short-term exposure
(4) toxicity of the agent with long-term exposure
(5) negative feelings of passengers and flight crews to chemicals and insecticides
