Suppression Trial through an Integrated Vector Management of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) Based on the Sterile Insect Technique in a Non-Isolated Area in Spain

Abstract

In recent years, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1984) has expanded its distribution globally due to its high ecological plasticity. This expansion has increased the population's susceptibility to contracting diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, among others, which are transmitted by this mosquito species. In the absence of effective control methods, the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) is proposed as part of an integrated vector management (IVM) program. From 2007 to 2020, this strategy has been tested in a non-isolated mosquito population urban area of 45 ha, representative of the municipalities of the Valencian region (Spain). The population levels of adult females and eggs collected in the traps have been reduced by 70-80% compared to the control area, demonstrating its efficacy in reducing mosquito populations. This work analyzes the impact of the migration of the wild mosquito population from the peri-urban area to the urban core.

Keywords: Europe; SIT; dengue; insect production; mass rearing; mosquitoes; vector control.

Figure 1

IVM-SIT and control areas. Yellow, blue, and red dots indicate the positions of the ovitraps in the SIT, control, and peri-urban areas, respectively. The green dots represent the position of the BG-Sentinel traps.

Figure 2

Number of eggs per trap per day in the control (red), SIT (blue), and peri-urban area (gray) from 2018 to 2020. Each marker represents the mean of eggs/trap/day of the last four weeks. The shaded areas represent the 99% confidence intervals for each zone.

Figure 3

Confidence intervals (95%) of number of eggs per trap per day (a,b) hatching rate (b) as functions to the closest distance to the peri-urban area boundary. The limits of the groups are based on quartiles.