Epidemiological significanceof subterranean Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) breeding sites to dengue virus infection in Charters Towers, 1993

The objective of this study wasto determine the epidemiological significance of subterranean mosquito breeding sites to the 1993 outbreak of dengue fever (type 2) in the northern Queensland town of Charters Towers, Australia. In recent studies on subterranean mosquito breeding, containers such as we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2002-01, Vol.39 (1), p.143-145
Main Authors: Russell, B M, Mcbride, W J J, Mullner, H, Kay, B H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes - growth & development
Animals
Antibodies, Viral - analysis
Australia - epidemiology
Breeding
Dengue - epidemiology
Dengue - immunology
Dengue - virology
Dengue Virus - immunology
Disease Outbreaks
Insect Vectors - growth & development
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Summary:The objective of this study wasto determine the epidemiological significance of subterranean mosquito breeding sites to the 1993 outbreak of dengue fever (type 2) in the northern Queensland town of Charters Towers, Australia. In recent studies on subterranean mosquito breeding, containers such as wells and service manholes have been shown to be important breeding sites to Australia's only dengue vector, Aedes aegypti (L.). This study demonstrates a direct epidemiological association between subterranean breeding sites and dengue virus infection. The mean distance between residents seropositive for dengue 2 and the nearest subterranean container (113 m) was significantly less than for a randomly selected control (191 m), (F = 81.9; df = 1, 478; P < 0.001). Residents positive for dengue 2 antibodies was 2.47 (95% confidence interval 1.88-3.24) times higher for those living within 160 m of a well or service manhole, compared with those residing further away. These findings emphasize the importance of incluuding subterranean water containers in Ae. aegypti surveillance and control programs.
ISSN:0022-2585