title: The maximum density of anopheline mosquitoes that can be permitted in the absence of continuing transmission of filariasis.
abstract: Using two years of mosquito collections from two fixed stations on Guadalcanal it was possible to compare the average man-biting rate with the prevalence of microfilaraemia. One area was found to be free of infection while the other still had one positive case. The DDT residual spraying had caused a change in biting habits of A. farauti No. 1 allowing a greater density of mosquitoes to bite man at times when they had lower microfilaria densities. This difference was compared with the pre-spray density so that the maximum permissible number of mosquitoes biting man without transmission of filariasis taking place, could be calculated. A theoretical value for m of 19.84 had been worked out previously; this study gave a corrected observed value of m of approximately 20, very close to the calculated theoretical value. The situation studied here probably showed incomplete interruption of transmission, so it was considered preferrable to recommend a figure of 0.66 average vector man-biting rate per hour indoors for the critical value.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D005368:Filariasis / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008542:Melanesia; D009032:Mosquito Control; D011156:Population Density