%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of Aedes aegypti Pupal Productivity during the Dengue Vector Control Program in a Costal Urban Centre of S£¿o Paulo State, Brazil
%A Marylene de Brito Arduino
%J Journal of Insects
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/301083
%X The control of dengue relies on the elimination of vector breeding sites. This study identified the container categories most productive for A. aegypti within the framework of the S£¿o Paulo dengue vector control program (DVCP) in S£¿o Sebasti£¿o, a large city located on the state¡¯s coast where dengue cases have occurred since 2001. Containers were inspected monthly for the occurrence of mosquito immature stages during two consecutive vector-breeding seasons in 2002¨C2004. Containers were classified by their material, use, and fixed or removable status. Pupal productivity differed significantly among container types, items made of metal and plastic, and boats being those with the highest relative contribution. Significant correlations between traditional indices of A. aegypti abundance (Container Index, House Index, and Breteau Index) and pupal productivity/demographic indices (Pupae/Container, Pupae/House, Pupae/ha, and Pupae/Person) ranged 0.56¨C0.65; correlations were not statistically significant for any combination involving the Pupae/Container index. The assessment of pupal productivity indices could be incorporated into the DVCP without any additional operational onus, allowing vector control managers to determine appropriate control actions targeting the most productive containers and sites. Further studies are needed to assess whether pupal productivity indices may be used as epidemiological indicators of risk of dengue transmission. 1. Introduction Dengue is an arboviral disease whose most severe form is dengue haemorrhagic fever, which is caused by four virus serotypes (DENV 1, 2, 3, and 4). Cases of dengue are recorded every year in more than 100 countries; approximately three billion people reside in areas at high risk for virus transmission. Due to the difficulties in combatting the mosquito vectors, vaccination represents an ideal means to control this global health problem. A candidate vaccine is presently showing promising results during the testing phase; however, it is still unavailable to the general population [1, 2]. In many tropical urban areas, the dengue virus is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, whose life cycle is strictly associated with anthropic activities. This mosquito uses mostly artificial containers for oviposition and larval growth. Such containers are of a variable nature but are often found in domestic or peridomestic environments. Containers can range from discarded packaging materials creating water receptacles to larger water reservoirs, or they can be associated with building structures, such as drains or
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/insects/2014/301083/