The aim of this paper is to propose optimal strategies for dengue reduction and prevention in Cali, Colombia. For this purpose, we consider two variants of a simple dengue transmission model, epidemic and endemic, each of which is amended with two control variables. These variables express feasible control actions to be taken by an external decision‐maker. First control variable stands for the insecticide spraying and thus targets to suppress the vector population. The second one expresses the protective measures (such as use of repellents, mosquito nets, and insecticide‐treated clothes) that are destined to reduce the number of contacts (bites) between female mosquitoes (principal dengue transmitters) and human individuals. We use the Pontryagin's maximum principle in order to derive the optimal strategies for dengue control and then perform the cost‐effectiveness analysis of these strategies in order to choose the most sustainable one in terms of cost–benefit relationship. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper, we introduce a predator-prey model to analyze the population dynamics of the Aedes aegypti mosquito which is fairly blamed for the transmission of dengue in Cali, Colombia. The model describes an interaction of an aquatic predacious species deliberately introduced into local mosquito breeding habitat, where the Aedes aegypti immature stages (eggs, larvae, and pupae) are already present and constitute the prey population. The model also accounts for local population of adult female mosquitoes (or mature stage) emerging from the breeding site. This population is considered as a target for reduction by deploying an adequate predacious species since only female mosquitoes are held responsible for transmission of dengue and other vector-borne diseases. Having analyzed the model, we have derived the mosquito survival threshold with predation as a function of predator's biological characteristics. The model's parameters were adjusted to the average seasonal temperatures of Cali, Colombia and explicit conditions for biological characteristics of prospective efficient predators were established. Numerical simulation with introduction of an efficient predacious species in local mosquito breeding habitats revealed the possibility of eventual mosquito extinction in such localities. Finally, some particular biological species were proposed as potential candidates for efficient predators.

El dengue es una infección viral transmitida por la hembra del mosquito Aedes aegypti que se presenta en todas las regiones tropicales y subtropicales del planeta. En Cali, Colombia, a pesar de los controles que las autoridades de salud dicen estar haciendo, durante el año 2013, se reportaron más de 9.000 casos de dengue, de los cuales algunos han sido graves y otros han llegado a ser letales. Para la transmisión del virus del dengue, los modelos matemáticos que simulan la dinámica de la población infectada, bien sea de humanos, de mosquitos o de ambos, permiten una buena comprensión de la dinámica del virus, por lo que son una excelente herramienta para el seguimiento y control de la enfermedad causada por ellos. Sin embargo, para que esta herramienta sea realmente útil en casos concretos, los modelos deben ser ajustados a las características particulares de la región donde se quieren utilizar. En este artículo, queremos presentar el ajuste de dos modelos matemáticos al área urbana de la ciudad de Cali, Colombia. Inicialmente, con base en el comportamiento natural del mosquito Aedes aegypti en una región como el área de interés, estimamos algunos de los parámetros de los modelos, teniendo en cuenta la literatura existente sobre este tema. Posteriormente, estimamos el resto de parámetros como la solución de mínimos cuadrados que mejor ajusta los resultados de los modelos a los datos de los casos reportados de dengue, según la Secretaria Municipal de Salud de Cali, durante el año 2010.

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