The primary dengue virus vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are primarily daytime biting mosquitoes. The risk of infection is suspected to be considerable in urban parks due to visitor traffic. Despite the importance of vector control for reducing dengue transmission, little information is available on vector populations in urban parks. The present study characterized mosquito habitats and estimated vector densities in the major urban parks in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and compared them with those in adjacent residential areas. The prevalences of habitats where Aedes larvae were found were 43% and 9% for the parks and residential areas, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (prevalence ratio [PR]: 5.00, 95% CI: 3.85-6.49). The prevalences of positive larval habitats were significantly greater in the parks for both species than the residential areas (PR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04-2.22 for A. aegypti, PR: 10.10, 95% CI: 7.23-14.12 for A. albopictus). Larvae of both species were positively associated with discarded containers and planters. Aedes albopictus larvae were negatively associated with indoor habitats, but positively associated with vegetation shade. The adult density of A. aegypti was significantly less in the parks compared with the residential areas (rate ratio [RR]; 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05-0.16), while the density of A. albopictus was significantly higher in the parks (RR: 9.99, 95% CI: 6.85-14.59). When the species were combined, the density was significantly higher in the parks (RR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.92-3.25). The urban parks provide suitable environment for Aedes mosquitoes, and A. albopictus in particular. Virus vectors are abundant in the urban parks, and the current vector control programs need to have greater consideration of urban parks.
Background: The domestic dengue vector Aedes aegypti mosquitoes breed in indoor containers. However, in northern peninsular Malaysia, they show equal preference for breeding in both indoor and outdoor habitats. To evaluate the epidemiological implications of this peridomestic adaptation, we examined whether Ae. aegypti exhibits decreased survival, gonotrophic activity, and fecundity due to lack of host availability and the changing breeding behavior. Methodology/Principal Findings: This yearlong field surveillance identified Ae. aegypti breeding in outdoor containers on an enormous scale. Thro
Biting behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes in Costa Marques, Rondonia, Brazil.
Mosquito collections were made in and near Costa Marques, Rondonia, Brazil, to determine anopheline anthropophilic/zoophilic behavior. Collections from a non-illuminated, bovine-baited trap and indoor and outdoor human-bait collections were compared. Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles deaneorum were more anthropophilic than the other anophelines collected. The remainder of the Anopheles species were collected much more frequently in bovine-baited traps than in human-bait collections. Anopheles darlingi and An. deaneorum were more frequently collected inside houses than the other anopheline species. But, when collections were made in a house with numerous openings in the walls, there were few differences in the percentages of each species biting man indoors versus outdoors. Anopheles darlingi was the predominant mosquito collected, both inside and outside houses, and had the strongest anthropophilic feeding behavior of the anophelines present.
Published in Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
Effects of ecological changes on the malaria vectors Anopheles funestus and the Anopheles gambiae complex of mosquitoes in Accra, Ghana. Studies have been conducted on mosquito breeding, indoor resting density and some parasitological and vectorial indices in Accra since 1911. An. gambiae s.l. has adapted to breeding appreciably in water-filled domestic containers in recent times (viz. 21.14 +/- 4.4% of all breeding), compared with a low frequency of breeding in such domestic containers in the earlier years 1911-1930 (viz. 1.97 +/- 1.67% of all breeding). Its breeding has also increased (viz. 5.3% to 25.4% of all breeding) in the numerous polluted water habitats created as a result of urbanization. This more widespread breeding in Accra city gave rise to only reduced indoor-resting densities of An. gambiae s.l. Several factors may be responsible for these changes, including the possible replacement of An. gambiae s.s. by the more versatile An. arabiensis as the predominant species in Accra. The almost complete elimination of An. funestus and decrease in breeding intensity of An. gambiae s.l.
Human exposure to anopheline mosquitoes occurs primarily indoors, even for users of insecticide-treated nets in Luangwa Valley, South-east Zambia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current front line malaria vector control methods such as indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), rely upon the preference of many primary vectors to feed and/or rest inside human habitations where they can be targeted with domestically-applied insecticidal products. We studied the human biting behaviour of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles funestus</it> Giles and the potential malaria vector <it>Anopheles quadriannulatus</it> Theobald in Luangwa valley, south-east Zambia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Mosquitoes were collected by human landing catch in blocks of houses with either combined use of deltamethrin-based IRS and LLINs or LLINs alone. Human behaviour data were collected to estimate how much exposure to mosquito bites indoors and outdoors occurred at various times of the night for LLIN users and non-users.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Anopheles funestus</it> and <it>An.
Everything we examined (5)
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