Occurrence of a mosquito vector in bird houses: Developmental consequences and potential epidemiological implications

Abstract

a b s t r a c tEven with continuous vector control, dengue is still a growing threat to public health in Southeast Asia. Main causes comprise difficulties in identifying productive breeding sites and inappropriate targeted chemical interventions. In this region, rural families keep live birds in backyards and dengue mosquitoes have been reported in containers in the cages. To focus on this particular breeding site, we examined the capacity of bird fecal matter (BFM) from the spotted dove, to support Aedes albopictus larval growth. The impact of BFM larval uptake on some adult fitness traits influencing vectorial capacity was also investigated. In serial bioassays involving a high and low larval density (HD and LD), BFM and larval standard food (LSF) affected differently larval development. At HD, development was longer in the BFM environment. There were no appreciable mortality differences between the two treatments, which resulted in similar pupation and adult emergence successes. BFM treatment produced a better gender balance. There were comparable levels of blood uptake and egg production in BFM and LSF females at LD; that was not the case for the HD one, which resulted in bigger adults. BFM and LSF females displayed equivalent lifespans; in males, this parameter was shorter in those derived from the BFM/LD treatment. Taken together these results suggest that bird defecations successfully support the development of Ae. albopictus. Due to their cryptic aspects, containers used to supply water to encaged birds may not have been targeted by chemical interventions.

Effect of land-use changes on the abundance, distribution, and host-seeking behavior of Aedes arbovirus vectors in oil palm-dominated landscapes, southeastern Côte d’Ivoire

“…In such areas, containers used to provide water for poultry husbandry during the dry season were found to be highly infested with Ae . aegypti larvae, as observed in bird cages in Malaysia [ 9 ]. Anthropogenic environments also act as limiting factors for Aedes mosquito predators (e.g., Eretmapodites spp.…”

“…In contrast, other cultivations such as rubber plantations, and plants with sheathing leaf axils (e.g., banana, bromeliads, and taro), and fruit husks (e.g., coconuts) can be important sources of Aedes mosquito breeding as they retain water for larval breeding [ 7 , 8 ]. Additionally, containers used to supply water to animals and plants support Aedes mosquito larval growth [ 9 ]. Anthropogenic chemicals, such as pesticides (e.g., insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and rodenticides), are drivers of changes in mosquito populations [ 10 ].…”

Exposure of a Dengue Vector to Tea and Its Waste: Survival, Developmental Consequences, and Significance for Pest Management

“…Larval development time was defined as the number of days from transfer of the experimental specimens of a given immature stage inside an EPC until the day of pupation, adopting Dieng and workmates. 24 Pupation rate was calculated as the total number of pupae divided by the initial number of larvae (YL or OL) muliplied by 100, following Dieng et al 24 Adult emergence rate was defined as the number of adults divided by the initial number of larvae (YL or OL) multiplied by 100. The numbers of eggs laid were counted under a dissecting microscope (Meiji EMZ; Meiji Techno Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), and the mean values of these numbers were used as scores of egg production.…”

Coffee and its waste repel gravid Aedes albopictus females and inhibit the development of their embryos

“…To obtain experimental virgin males and females, egg samples from the egg bank were hatched in dechlorinated water, and larvae 24 hours old were reared at a density of 150 per enamelware pan of the same dimensions as those used in colony maintenance filled with 1 L of dechlorinated water in ten replicates. The diet was provided following a slight modification of the procedure reported elsewhere [ 70 , 71 ] as suspension [0.15 g of mixture of dog biscuits, beef liver, yeast, and milk powder (2:1:1:1) in 5 mL of dechlorinated water] dispensed according to Juliano and Gravel [ 69 ]. Larval feeding was standardized and the timetable and quantities of food given were as follows: 3, 6, 6, 6, 6, and 6 mL of larval food suspension on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, respectively.…”