Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Visualizing Efficacy of Pesticides Against Disease Vector Mosquitoes in the Field
Published on: March 16, 2019
A geographical sampling method for surveys of mosquito larvae in an urban area using high-resolution satellite
Adriana Troyo1, Douglas O Fuller, Olger Calderón-Arguedas
1Global Public Health Program, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, 12500 SW 152 St. Building A, Miami, FL 33177, USA.
Abstract:
Entomological surveys in urban areas are often biased by selecting houses or locations with known high vector densities. A sampling strategy was developed for Puntarenas, Costa Rica, using high-resolution satellite imagery. Grids from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer and a QuickBird classified land cover map were used to determine the optimal final grid area for surveys. A random sample (10% of cells) was selected, and sample suitability was assessed by comparing the mean percentage of tree cover between sample and total cells. Sample cells were used to obtain entomological data from 581 locations: 26.3% of all locations positive for mosquito larvae were not households, they contained 29.5% of mosquito-positive habitats and 16% of Aedes aegypti pupae collected. Entomological indices for Ae. aegypti (pupae per person, Breteau index, container index, location index) were slightly lower when only household data were analyzed. High-resolution satellite imagery and geographical information systems appear useful for evaluating urban sites and randomly selecting locations for accurate entomological surveys.
