Abstract
In 2014, Guangzhou City, South China, suffered from its worst outbreak of dengue fever in decades. Larval mosquito habitat surveillance was carried out by using android mobile devices in four study sites in May 2015. The habitats with larval mosquitoes were recorded as photo waypoints in OruxMaps or in videos. The total number of potential mosquito habitats was 342, of which 166 (49%) were found to have mosquito larvae or pupae. Small containers were the most abundant potential habitats, accounting for 26% of the total number. More mosquito larvae and pupae, were found in small containers than in other objects holding water, for example, potted or hydroponic plants (p < 0.05). Mosquito larvae were collected from all plastic road barriers, used tires, and underground water. Aedes albopictus larvae were found from small and large containers, stumps, among others. The overall route index (RI) was 11.3, which was 14.2 times higher than the grade C criteria of the National Patriotic Health Campaign Committee (NPHCC), China. The higher RIs were found from the bird and flower markets, schools, and underground parking lots. The results indicated that Android mobile devices are a convenient and useful tool for surveillance of mosquito habitats, and the enhancement of source reduction may benefit the prevention and control of dengue vector mosquitoes.
Highlights
Dengue is predominantly an urban disease that is vectored by container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes [1,2] Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province in south China, has experienced outbreaks of dengue fever for many years [3], and Aedes albopictus Skuse has been confirmed as the dengue vector [4]
A few Ae. albopictus larvae were found with larval Cx. quinquefasciatus in underground cisterns, Culex molestus Forskal was not identified from the samples collected from the underground habitats [13]
Since higher route index (RI) and/or TI values were in the bird and flower market, school, underground parking lot, and subdivisions, we suggest that the authorities should strengthen the surveillance on these premises types and focus on the mosquito management in wastelands, residential areas, underground structures, bird and flower markets, schools, and driving schools in Guangzhou
Summary
Dengue is predominantly an urban disease that is vectored by container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes [1,2] Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province in south China, has experienced outbreaks of dengue fever for many years [3], and Aedes albopictus Skuse has been confirmed as the dengue vector [4]. The most serious outbreak of dengue fever in Guangzhou was from June to December 2014, with a report of 37,331 cases Larval mosquito surveillance involves sampling a wide range of aquatic habitats for the presence of immature mosquitoes with a dipper or plastic pipette [2,5]. Android mobile devices and mobile cell phones are popular tools [8,9], but these tools have not been widely used for surveillance of mosquito habitats
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