COMPARING DETECTIONS OF AEDES AEGYPTI FEMALES USING THREE TYPES OF AUTOCIDAL GRAVID TRAPS

Area of Science:

• Medical entomology
• Vector-borne disease surveillance
• Arbovirus research

Background:

• Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are primary vectors for diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.
• Effective surveillance tools are crucial for controlling Aedes aegypti populations and preventing disease transmission.
• Autocidal gravid ovitraps utilize natural attractants to capture gravid female mosquitoes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of three autocidal gravid ovitrap designs in capturing Aedes aegypti.
• To evaluate the detection rates and trap failures of different ovitrap models.
• To assess the suitability of these traps for Aedes aegypti surveillance in Puerto Rico.

Main Methods:

• Field comparison of three ovitrap types: CDC Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO), Biogents Gravid Aedes Trap (GAT), and Singapore Gravitrap (SGT).
• Traps were deployed for 8 weeks in 20 sites in central Puerto Rico.
• Mosquitoes were collected weekly, and trap performance metrics (captures, detections, failures) were recorded.

Main Results:

• The AGO trap captured the highest average number of female Aedes aegypti (11.1 per trap/week), followed by GAT (7.2) and SGT (1.7).
• GAT and SGT traps captured 35.5% and 84.7% fewer mosquitoes, respectively, compared to AGO.
• Despite varying capture rates, all three traps successfully detected Aedes aegypti presence at all 20 sites over the 8-week period.

Conclusions:

• Trap size correlated with Aedes aegypti capture efficiency, with larger traps like AGO performing best.
• All evaluated autocidal gravid ovitraps demonstrated potential for Aedes aegypti surveillance, though capture rates differed significantly.
• Further research may optimize trap designs for enhanced vector surveillance and control strategies.