Detection of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) in ovitraps of Mérida city, México Aedes albopictus en la ciudad de Mérida

Abstract

Introduction: The vector-borne diseases program in Mexico has an established network of ovitraps for entomological surveillance of Aedes spp. In response to reports of Aedes albopictus in the periphery of Mérida, the state capital of Yucatán, the Ministry of Health increased the specificity of this surveillance. Objective: To describe the presence and distribution of Ae. albopictus in Mérida and its relative abundance compared to Ae. aegypti in ovitraps of the vector control program. Materials and methods: During October 2019, 91 ovitraps were randomly selected from 31 neighborhoods of Mérida. Mosquitoes were reared at the insectary of the Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays of the Autonomous University of Yucatan from eggs collected in the field. Relative abundance was determined for adult individuals of each identified species and neighborhood. Results: 32 % of the neighborhoods were positive for Ae. albopictus and 100 % for Ae. aegypti. A total of 28 adults of Ae. albopictus (10 females and 18 males) were obtained from ovitraps. No correlation was observed between the abundance of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus for both adults and females (p > 0.05) at the neighborhood level. Conclusions: The results confirm that Ae. albopictus is coexisting with Ae. aegypti in Mérida. Low relative abundance suggests that Ae. albopictus is in the initial phase of invasion.