Prevalence and potential breeding habitats of dengue vectors Aedes aegypti / Aedes albopictus in significant areas of Lahore, Pakistan

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Dengue has become the fastest-growing mosquito-borne disease in Sub-tropical and tropical countries. The control of the vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus is the most effective way of controlling the disease. A detailed study on vector prevalence has not been recorded from Pakistan. The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Dengue vectors in significantly important sites of Lahore which were Cantonment areas, Wagha boarder and City areas of Lahore, from April to September 2012. All required lab work was carried out in Vector and Parasitology Lab (CESAT). Samples were collected from 102 sites of Cantonment areas, Wagha boarder and City areas of Lahore. Out of 102 sites, larval samples were collected from 85 sites and adult were collected from 17 sites. Larval samples were collected from stagnant fresh water bodies through dipper & adult mosquito samples were collected by indigenously developed battery operated Aspirator, ESGV - PACK from field. Larval samples preserved in 70% Ethanol brought to lab for identification and characterization. All environmental parameters of mosquito habitat like temperature, humidity, pH value and terrain features recorded on the Entomological Data Form and compiled. GPS device was used for Physiographical localization of areas of environmental sampling. All samples were morphologically identified by stereomicroscope using the key ZOOTAXA- 589 (2004). Out of 85 larval sites, 21(24.7%) sites were positive for dengue vector and 64(75.3%) were found negative. Out of 21 positive sites 14(16.5%) from cantonment areas, 04(4.7%) from adjacent city areas of Lahore and 03(3.5%) were found positive in Wagha boarder areas. Out of 17 sites from where adult samples were collected 04 (23.5%) sites were positive for Dengue vector and 13(76.4%) sites were negative for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. From the present study it was concluded that genus Aedes is prevalent in Wagha boarder, Cantonment areas and city areas of Lahore. Potential breeding sites were services stations, stagnant fresh water bodies, pool, pound, overhead and underground water tanks.