Aedes Aegypti in Puerto Rico: Environmental Determinants of Larval Abundance and Relation to Dengue Virus Transmission

Authors:
  • CMChester G. Moore
    Chester G. Moore
  • BCBarnett L. Cline
    Barnett L. Cline
  • ERErnesto Ruiz-Tibén
    Ernesto Ruiz-Tibén
  • DLDwayne Lee
    Dwayne Lee
  • HRHarry Romney-Joseph
    Harry Romney-Joseph
  • EREfrain Rivera-Correa
    Efrain Rivera-Correa
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Abstract
In order to understand adequately the dynamics of vector-borne disease, one must understand how and why vector populations change over time. We describe a long-term, cooperative study of seasonal fluctuation in populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Puerto Rico. During each month of the first 3 years of the project, A. aegypti was found breeding in all five communities studied. Mosquito density was positively correlated with rainfall, the relationship being more marked in the dry, south-coastal part of the island. Discarded tires and animal watering pans were the two most common larval breeding sites. In general, houses in Puerto Rico harbor more potential A. aegypti breeding sites than those in other tropical locations, probably because Puerto Rico is relatively more affluent.