Breeding of aedes Aegypti and Aedes albopictus in some dengue endemic areas.

Abstract

Dengue fever (DF)/Dengue haemorrnagic fever (DHF) is now- the most important and rapidly spreading vector borne disease in the world. Since 1956, over 350 000 patients have been hospitalized and nearly 12 000 deaths have been reported. In Sri Lanka the incidence of DF/DHF has increased cyclically since the first outbreak in Sri Lanka during which 26 deaths were reported. Aedes aegypti is classified as the predominant vector of dengue in Sri Lanka. Ae, albopictus is considered as an important vector in the absence of Ae. aegypti. In this study, larval surveillance was carried out in fixed monitoring stations / hot-spots and random monitoring stations. Fixed monitoring stations were selected based on high incidence of DF/DHF recorded since 1996 in Kurunegala district. Ten premises within one fixed monitoring station were checked for mosquito breeding weekly using ovitraps and the average monthly ovitrap index (%) was calculated. During outbreaks larval surveillance was conducted in fifteen random monitoring stations including 66 houses which were selected based on serologically confirmed DPI DHF cases in and around Kurunegala and Ragama. Observations on average monthly ovitrap index (%) in the fixed monitoring stations showed that the highest ovitrap index was in Kurunegala town area, Ovitrap index of Ae. albopictus was higher than of Ae. aegypti all localities in and around Kurunegala throughout the study period. Data obtained from random monitoring-stations in and around Kurunegala and Ragama revealed that only Ae. albopictus larvae were present in seven stations. There were no stations in which only Ae.aegypti larvae were present. House index of Ae. albopictus was 28% whereas it was 10.6% for both species in random monitoring stations. Results suggest that Ae.albopictus may play a major role in transmitting dengue in some localities in Sri Lanka. This investigation received financial support from University of Kelaniya (Research Grant no-97/1-23) and from the IAEA (Technical Corporation Grant no-SRL/06/024).