The host decoy trap (HDT) is a surveillance trap that presents a combination of heat, visual and odour stimuli to attract bloodmeal‐seeking mosquitoes. Here we employed a semi‐field study to demonstrate the role of the visual attributes present on the HDT on the effectiveness of Aedes aegypti capture. Our results show that the HDT is an effective means of capturing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in semi‐field conditions, with a per trial capture rate of up to 69% across four visually distinct HDTs. The solid black coloured HDT captured more mosquitoes than HDTs with black‐white stripes, black‐white checkerboard patches or solid white colour by a factor of 1.9, 1.7 and 1.5, respectively. In all cases, mosquito capture was not evenly distributed on the HDT surface, with captures on the HDT's outer downwind half, away from the odour delivery, exceeding captures on the inner upwind half. We conclude that the solid black surface of the original HDT design is more effective than the other surfaces (white or black/white patterns) for the capture of Ae. aegypti. Our results demonstrate that mosquito attraction to the thermal and odorant cues of the HDT is modulated by visual information.
BackgroundAedes aegypti is the major mosquito vector of many burdensome human diseases. While behavioral research has focused primarily on understanding the importance of olfactory stimuli in its host-seeking abilities, Ae. aegypti’s vision has also been shown to contribute significantly to locating a human host. In this semi-field study conducted in Kisian, Kisumu County, Kenya, we explored the role of visual properties in Aedes host-seeking by testing four different visual characteristics presented in host decoy traps (HDT). This surveillance trap presents a combination of visual, thermal, and odor stimuli to attract bloodmeal-seeking mosquitoes. This was also the first test of HDT for sampling Aedes mosquitoes, having previously been shown to be effective for capture of other vector genera such as Anopheles, Mansonia, and Culex in field settings.ResultsOur results show that the HDT is an effective means of capturing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, with a per trial capture rate of up to 69% across four visually distinct HDTs deployed simultaneously in a semi-field arena. Of these four, a solid black HDT (HDT B) captured more mosquitoes than HDTs with: black-white stripes (HDT S), black-white checkerboard patches (HDT P), and a solid white color (HDT W). Across 16 replicates wherein 200 mosquitoes were released per trial, HDT B caught more mosquitoes than HDTs S, P, and W by a factor of 1.9, 1.7, and 1.5 respectively. In all cases, mosquito capture was not evenly distributed on the HDT surface, with captures on the HDT’s outer half, away from the odor delivery, exceeding captures on the inner half facing towards the odor delivery by a factor of 4.8, 3.7, 3.7, and 5.1 on HDTs B, S, P, and W respectively.Conclusions: Our results establish that in semi-field conditions, the HDT is effective for the capture of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes and provides a flexible platform to test experimental parameters pertinent to the host-seeking behavior of mosquito vector species. We show that Ae. aegypti makes use of dark, but not light, high contrast visual information while responding to both the olfactory and thermal stimuli associated with hosts. The results further show that the solid black surface of the original HDT design is more effective than the other surfaces (white or black/white patterns) for the capture of Ae. aegypti.
Ghana experiences a relatively high maternal mortality ratio, with the majority of maternal deaths occurring in the postpartum period. Discharge readiness is a reliable indicator of maternal health outcomes and involves a postpartum woman’s perception of preparedness to leave the hospital following delivery. We measured the discharge readiness of postpartum women in Ghana through an institutional-based cross-sectional study involving 151 participants. Participants completed an interviewer-administered survey, and data analyses included linear regression models. The study sample demonstrated relatively high discharge readiness, with a mean score of 177.57 on a scale from 0.00 to 220.00. Higher gravidity was positively associated with discharge readiness score, while longer length of hospital stay and receiving educational handouts were negatively associated with discharge readiness score. Clinical interventions addressing the factors found to be associated with discharge readiness have significant potential to improve postpartum care and maternal outcomes in Ghana.
Human papillomavirus is a common sexually transmitted infection that affects men and women. For women, persistent infection with high-risk HPV genotypes is a significant risk factor for cervical cancer, and HPV infection is more prevalent in developing countries than in developed countries. Furthermore, women in developing countries experience a greater number of cervical cancer cases attributable to HPV infection than women in developed countries. In Ecuador, recent studies have shown an increased prevalence of high-risk HPV genotypes in certain regions, specifically Quito and in Southern Ecuador. No study has analyzed the prevalence of high-risk HPV in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. In this quantitative study, the prevalence of high-risk HPV in Santo Domingo was determined by analyzing cervical cytology samples taken from pregnant women visiting three local health clinics. Women younger than 18 years of age were excluded. The study also analyzed associated risk factors for infection. Overall, 24.1% of participants tested positive for high-risk HPV infection. Genotypes falling into the “other high risk” category (i.e. HPV- HPV-31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68) were the most prevalent. This result differed slightly from findings in comparable studies completed in Ecuador where HPV-16 was found to be most prevalent among the study population. Age and Pap smear history were independently determined to be significant predictors of HPV status. These findings indicate the significance of routine female wellness and gynecological screenings at Saludesa Hospital, and Augusto Egas and Santa Martha clinics. Furthermore, results also emphasize the importance of vaccine use as primary prevention measures against HPV infection in adolescents in Santo Domingo. Currently, Saludesa Hospital, Augusto Egas and Santa Martha clinics do not offer vaccinations for protection against HPV infection. However, girls between ages of 11 and 12 seeking care at these facilities would likely benefit from preventive reproductive health care, including access to vaccinations, to protect against high- risk HPV infection. Education regarding the epidemiology of high-risk HPV infection could enhance the public’s acceptance of screening and intervention programs. Citation Format: Hanna Foster, Maria Alexandrova, Roya Ghiaseddin, David Gaus, Katherine Taylor, Danny Larco, Sharon Stack. Establishing the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection and identifying associated risk factors in Santo Domingo, Ecuador [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-154.
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