Populations of Aedes aegypti (L.) can be managed through reductions in adult mosquito survival, number of offspring produced, or both. Direct adult mortality can be caused by the use of space sprays or residual insecticides to mosquito resting sites, and with a variety of residual insecticide-impregnated surfaces that are being tested, such as curtains, covers for water-storage vessels, bednets, and ovitraps. The fertility of Ae. aegypti populations can be reduced by the use of autocidal oviposition cups that prevent the development of mosquitoes inside the trap by mechanical means or larvicides, as well as by releasing sterile, transgenic, and para-transgenic mosquitoes. Survival and fertility can be simultaneously reduced by capturing gravid female Ae. aegypti with sticky gravid traps. We tested the effectiveness of the novel Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autocidal gravid ovitrap (CDC-AGO trap) to control natural populations of Ae. aegypti under field conditions in two isolated urban areas (reference vs. intervention areas) in southern Puerto Rico for 1 yr. There were significant reductions in the captures of female Ae. aegypti (53–70%) in the intervention area. The presence of three to four AGO control traps per home in 81% of the houses prevented outbreaks of Ae. aegypti, which would be expected after rains. Mosquito captures in BG-Sentinel and AGO traps were significantly and positively correlated, showing that AGO traps are useful and inexpensive mosquito surveillance devices. The use of AGO traps to manage Ae. aegypti populations is compatible with other control means such as source reduction, larviciding, adulticiding, sterile insect techniques, induced cytoplasmic incompatibility, and dominant lethal gene systems.

We have shown that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO trap) reduced the Aedes aegypti population and prevented mosquito outbreaks in southern Puerto Rico. After showing treatment efficacy for 1 year, we deployed three traps per home in an area that formerly did not have traps and in a site that served as the intervention area. Two new areas were selected as reference sites to compare the density of Ae. aegypti without traps. We monitored mosquitoes and weather every week in all four sites. The hypotheses were the density of Ae. aegypti in the former reference area converges to the low levels observed in the intervention area, and mosquito density in both areas having control traps is lower than in the new reference areas. Mosquito density in the former reference area decreased 79% and mosquito density in the new reference areas was 88% greater than in the intervention areas.

Puerto Rico detected the first confirmed case of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in May 2014 and the virus rapidly spread throughout the island. The invasion of CHIKV allowed us to observe Aedes aegypti (L.) densities, infection rates, and impact of vector control in urban areas using CDC autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO traps) for mosquito control over several years. Because local mosquitoes can only get the virus from infectious residents, detecting the presence of virus in mosquitoes functions as a proxy for the presence of virus in people. We monitored the incidence of CHIKV in gravid females of Ae. aegypti in four neighborhoods-two with three AGO traps per home in most homes and two nearby neighborhoods without AGO mosquito control traps. Monitoring of mosquito density took place weekly using sentinel AGO traps from June to December 2014. In all, 1,334 pools of female Ae. aegypti (23,329 individuals) were processed by real-time reverse transcription PCR to identify CHIKV and DENV RNA. Density of Ae. aegypti females was 10.5 times lower (91%) in the two areas with AGO control traps during the study. Ten times (90.9%) more CHIKV-positive pools were identified in the nonintervention areas (50/55 pools) than in intervention areas (5/55). We found a significant linear relationship between the number of positive pools and both density of Ae. aegypti and vector index (average number of expected infected mosquitoes per trap per week). Temporal and spatial patterns of positive CHIKV pools suggested limited virus circulation in areas with AGO traps.

Background Aedes mediovittatus mosquitoes are found throughout the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean and often share the same larval habitats with Ae. Aegypti, the primary vector for dengue virus (DENV). Implementation of vector control measures to control dengue that specifically target Ae. Aegypti may not control DENV transmission in Puerto Rico (PR). Even if Ae. Aegypti is eliminated or DENV refractory mosquitoes are released, DENV transmission may not cease when other competent mosquito species like Ae. Mediovittatus are present. To compare vector competence of Ae. Mediovittatus and Ae. Aegypti mosquitoes, we studied relative infection and transmission rates for all four DENV serotypes.MethodsTo compare the vector competence of Ae. Mediovittatus and Ae. Aegypti, mosquitoes were exposed to DENV 1–4 per os at viral titers of 5–6 logs plaque-forming unit (pfu) equivalents. At 14 days post infectious bloodmeal, viral RNA was extracted and tested by qRT-PCR to determine infection and transmission rates. Infection and transmission rates were analyzed with a generalized linear model assuming a binomial distribution.Results Ae. Aegypti had significantly higher DENV-4 infection and transmission rates than Ae. mediovittatus.ConclusionsThis study determined that Ae. Mediovittatus is a competent DENV vector. Therefore dengue prevention programs in PR and the Caribbean should consider both Ae. Mediovittatus and Ae. Aegypti mosquitoes in their vector control programs.