The first detection of a population of Aedes aegypti in the Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Published in: Tropical zoology Vol. 33; no. 2
• Main Authors: Alencar, Jeronimo, De Mello, Cecília Ferreira, Guimarães, Anthony Érico, Maia, Daniele de Aguiar, Balbino, Valdir de Queiroz, Freitas, Moisés Thiago de Souza, Marcondes, Carlos Brisola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Scientific Publications, Pavia, Italy 28-10-2020; PAGEPress Publications
• Subjects: Aedes aegypti; Atlantic forest; sylvatic habitat; yellow fever
• ISSN: 0394-6975; 1970-9528
• DOI: 10.4081/tz.2020.70

Aedes aegypti is almost completely restricted to human-modified environments, especially urban areas, and rarely invades forests. Ovitraps were utilized in a reserve (Bom Retiro) in Rio de Janeiro state. Eggs of A. aegypti, genetically not differentiable from those of urban mosquitoes, were obtained at a location more than 700 m inside the border of the forest and 900 m away from a trail at the entrance to the forest. The presence of A. aegypti in a primary forest indicates its ability to adapt to sylvatic environments in Brazil, suggesting great potential for the transmission of several arboviruses due to the difficulty in controlling these mosquitoes.