letter: zika virus (zikv) and wastewater treatment plants

Dear editor, improper wastewater management and its discharge lead to environmental pollution and adverse effects on the ecosystems. in addition to unpleasant odors, stagnant wastewater, by providing requirements for successful growth of vectors (e.g. insect larva and ovals), plays a great role in transmission of vector-borne diseases. also, extended ranges of microorganisms and pathogens including bacteria, viruses and protozoan exist in wastewater that can play an important role on spread of diseases and related outbreaks. among treatment processes, natural systems such as septic tank and stabilization ponds are of interest according to economic and environmental point of views. natural treatment systems are simple, effective and cost-beneficial, specially designed for tropical and sub-tropical regions, and consequently they are desirable for growth of aquatic insects (such as mosquitoes and dipterous) and spread of diseases. based on literatures and reports, mosquitoes are the most abundant vectors with more than 100 species in these ponds.