[Seasonal variations in Aedes Aegypti populations in Monterrey, Mexico]

Seasonal variation of the populations of the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, in the city of Monterrey, N.L., Mexico, showed a bimodal pattern. The first peak is lower and appeared at early June, while the second and higher one was observed in the second week of October. 1,419 female mosquitoes were caught in this study. Females with fresh red blood in the stomach were present in all the catches, gravid females (mature eggs in the ovaries) being more abundant than the non-gravid ones. The gravid females with red blood are the oldest of the vector population. Nevertheless, in October, 40 per cent of females had red blood and of these, 37 per cent were gravid. In relation to the biting rate, a 10 females/hour-man rate was recorded for the first peak and a 13.3 females/hour-man rate for the second one. There were 32 per cent of females involved in multiple feedings during the weekly catches. This incidence increases to 40 per cent in October. These rates were calculated on the basis of females with fresh blood in the stomach; from these the gravids and non-gravids have at least three and two multiple feedings, respectively. Finally the epidemiological importance of these multiple feedings on dengue transmission is discussed.