title: Estimation of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) population size and adult male survival in an urban area in Panama.
abstract: Traditional mosquito control strategies rely heavily on the use of chemical insecticides. However, concerns about the efficiency of traditional control methods, environmental impact and emerging pesticide resistance have highlighted the necessity for developing innovative tools for mosquito control. Some novel strategies, including release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene (RIDL®), rely on the sustained release of modified male mosquitoes and therefore benefit from a thorough understanding of the biology of the male of the species. In this report we present the results of a mark-release-recapture study aimed at: (i) establishing the survival in the field of laboratory-reared, wild-type male Aedes aegypti and (b) estimating the size of the local adult Ae. aegypti population. The study took place in Panama, a country where recent increases in the incidence and severity of dengue cases have prompted health authorities to evaluate alternative strategies for vector control. Results suggest a life expectancy of 2.3 days for released male mosquitoes (confidence interval: 1.78-2.86). Overall, the male mosquito population was estimated at 58 males/ha (range 12-81 males/ha), which can be extrapolated to an average of 0.64 pupae/person for the study area. The practical implications of these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neira
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.affiliation: Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cáceres
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.affiliation: Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Josue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Lleysa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pineda
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Nestor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Derric
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nimmo
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alphey
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Ltd, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKemey
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000502:physiology*; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D003715:Dengue / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*; D010176:Panama; D011679:Pupa / Q000502:physiology; D012744:Sex Ratio; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes