Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (2014) 109, 879-886

Marco Neira, Renaud Lacroix, Lorenzo Cáceres, Paul E. Kaiser, Josue Young, Lleysa Pineda, Isaac Black, Nestor Sosa, Derric Nimmo, Luke Alphey and Andrew McKemey (2014)
Estimation of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) population size and adult male survival in an urban area in Panama
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 109 (7), 879-886
Abstract: Traditional mosquito control strategies rely heavily on the use of chemical insecticides. However, concerns about the efficiency of traditional control methods, environmental impact and emerging pesticide resistance have highlighted the necessity for developing innovative tools for mosquito control. Some novel strategies, including release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene (RIDL®), rely on the sustained release of modified male mosquitoes and therefore benefit from a thorough understanding of the biology of the male of the species. In this report we present the results of a mark-release-recapture study aimed at: (i) establishing the survival in the field of laboratory-reared, wild-type male Aedes aegypti and (b) estimating the size of the local adult Ae. aegypti population. The study took place in Panama, a country where recent increases in the incidence and severity of dengue cases have prompted health authorities to evaluate alternative strategies for vector control. Results suggest a life expectancy of 2.3 days for released male mosquitoes (confidence interval: 1.78-2.86). Overall, the male mosquito population was estimated at 58 males/ha (range 12-81 males/ha), which can be extrapolated to an average of 0.64 pupae/person for the study area. The practical implications of these results are discussed.
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Database assignments for author(s): Andrew R. McKemey

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes aegypti		Panama