Standardizing container classification for immature Aedes aegypti surveillance in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand

For the development of community-based vector control programs for dengue prevention, one of the key components is to formulate an adequate classification scheme for the different containers in which immature Aedes mosquitoes develop. Such a standardized scheme would permit more efficient targeting of efforts and resources in the most productive way possible. Based on field data from Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand, we developed a classification method that consists of the shape (S), use (U), and material (M) of the container (SUM-method). We determined that by targeting the four container classes that held the most Ae. aegypti pupae, adult mosquito production could theoretically be reduced by 70%. The classification method may be equally suitable for similar studies elsewhere in the world. Main advantages of the classification scheme are that categorization of containers does not need to be done a priori, that there is no "miscellaneous" class, and that different immature control strategies can be easily and prospectively tested with a local database. We expect that the classification strategy will 1) facilitate comparison of results among different ecological and geographic settings and 2) simplify communication among vector control personnel and affected communities.