World Health Organization Reports on aircraft disinsection

AQIS administers disinsection requirements on behalf of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing.

International aircraft are disinsected to help protect Australia from potential disease vectors and harmful pests. AQIS has developed their aircraft disinsection requirements based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

WHO defines ‘disinsection’ as: the procedure whereby health measures are taken to control or kill the insect vectors of human diseases present in baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods and postal parcels.

WHO recommends that aircraft disinsection will minimise the risks of vectors and diseases spread by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes act as transmitters or vectors of pathogens or parasites that are responsible for spreading a number of human pathogenic organisms, such as: Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Ross River Fever and Malaria.

The International Health Regulations 2005 (IHRs) took effect on 15 June 2007. The IHRs establish global benchmark standards to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. The IHRs continue to maintain that the disinsection of aircraft is a necessary measure to help prevent the spread of vector borne diseases.