Entomological Investigation of Aedes aegypti In Neighborhoods With Confirmed Human Arbovirus Infection In Puerto Rico

• Published in: Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association Vol. 34; no. 3; p. 233
• Main Authors: Felix, Gilberto E, Barrera, Roberto, Vazquez, Jesus, Ryff, Kyle R, Munoz-Jordan, Jorge L, Matias, Katia Y, Hemme, Ryan R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-09-2018
• Subjects: Aedes - growth & development; Aedes - virology; Animals; Chikungunya virus - isolation & purification; Female; Mosquito Vectors - growth & development; Mosquito Vectors - virology; Ovum - growth & development; Ovum - virology; Population Density; Puerto Rico; Residence Characteristics; Zika Virus - isolation & purification; Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico; Zika virus; Autocidal gravid trap; chikungunya virus
• ISSN: 1943-6270
• DOI: 10.2987/18-6741.1

The exotic arboviruses chikungunya (CHIKV) and Zika (ZIKV) recently caused large outbreaks and continue to circulate in Puerto Rico, prompting entomological investigations at 9 locations with confirmed CHIKV- or ZIKV-infected human cases. Adult mosquitoes were collected using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autocidal gravid ovitraps over a 14-day period at each site. Mean female
captured per trap-week ranged from 13.47 per trap-week to 1.27 per trap-week. Arbovirus-positive pools were detected at 7 of the 9 sampling sites. We investigated vertical transmission by collecting
eggs in a single location where ZIKV was found in adult mosquitoes. We discuss the relationship between vector density and infection rates and its implications for determining mosquito density thresholds of novel invasive arboviruses such as CHIKV and ZIKV.