Field efficacy of the BG-Sentinel compared with CDC Backpack Aspirators and CO2-baited EVS traps for collection of adult Aedes aegypti in Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

In this study, we compared the efficacy of the newly available BG-Sentinel with an established "gold standard,", the CDC Backpack Aspirator, and a CO2-baited EVS trap for the collection of Aedes aegypti (L.) in Cairns, Australia. BG-Sentinels collected significantly more (P = 0.017) female Ae. aegypti (mean per collection, 1.92 +/- 0.39) than both the CDC Backpack Aspirator (1.00 +/- 0.35) and the EVS trap (0.71 +/- 0.27). Male-only and combined male-female Ae. aegypti collections for th BG-Sentinel and the CDC Backpack Aspirator were also greater than EVS trap collections. The CDC Backpack Aspirator and the BG-Sentinel captured proportionally fewer females compared with the EVS trap. The BG-Sentinel was the most Ae. aegypti specific collection method. The CDC Backpack Aspirator collected proportionally more bloodfed Ae. aegypti than the other methods, which collected a greater proportion of nullipars. The data presented here will aid researchers in deciding what Ae. aegypti sampling device best suits their needs. BG-Sentinels and CDC Backpack Aspirators should be considered as alternatives to human-bait collections for Ae. aegypti sampling.