Surveillance for the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in Tobago, West Indies

An island-wide house survey was conducted in January 2002 to determine the geographic distribution, container profile, and population density of the Aedes aegypti in Tobago, West Indies. The results showed the Ae. aegypti infestation levels were significantly different (P > 0.01) among the 4 districts, with greater infestation levels (P > 0.01) observed in the Northern and Windward districts than in the Central and Leeward districts. From the 50 towns in Tobago, houses were found positive in Delaford (21), Argyle (18), and Goodwood (14). representing 42.1% of the total number of positive houses in the Windward district (3,971 houses); Parlatuvier (15), Whim (14), Castara (12), and Bloody Bay (12), representing 62.3% of the total number of positive houses in the Northern district (3,087 houses); Calderhall (12), Mason Hall (11), and Government House (10), representing 46.5% of the total number of positive houses in the Central district (4,706 houses); and Lambeau (10), Bucco (6), and Bethel (6), representing 53.7% of the total number of positive houses in the Leeward district (3,175 houses). The majority (66 or 63.5%) of dengue cases occurred in the Central district where the Breteau indices ranged from 7.1 to 44.0 (mean = 16.6). These results suggest that a more systematic and sustained vector control program that uses both biological and chemical control methods should be adopted to reduce Ae. aegypti populations to below dengue transmission thresholds.