Effect of the Rural and Urban Microclimate on Mosquito Richness and Abundance in Yucatan State, Mexico.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the rural and urban microclimate on the presence of mosquitoes. Temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH; indoors and outdoors), as well as mosquito richness and abundance were measured in two sites (urban and rural) of the Yucatan State, Mexico. Species richness was higher in the urban site, whereas mosquito abundance was higher in the rural site. The microclimates of urban and rural housing differently affect mosquito richness and abundance. Mosquito richness and abundance were higher outdoors than indoors in the urban site, but they were higher indoors than outdoors in the rural site. For the urban site, analysis of the relation of T and RH with the registered parameters revealed that species richness increased with increasing indoor RH, and that mosquito abundance increased with increasing indoor T and RH. In the rural site, species richness was not affected, but abundance increased with increasing T and RH (indoors as well as outdoors). Results are discussed in the context of the management of mosquito transmitted diseases. No IRB approval was necessary since no ethical implications were identified to be reviewed by the ethical committee for the research of the ECOSUR Institution.

Entomological and virological surveillance for dengue virus in churches in Merida, Mexico.

This study was designed to assess whether churches in endemic dengue districts in Merida, Mexico provide suitable breeding habitats for mosquitoes and are potential sites for dengue virus (DENV) transmission. Churches were inspected for immature and adult mosquitoes once every week from November 2015 to October 2016. A total of 10,997 immatures of five species were collected. The most abundant species were Aedes aegypti (6,051) and Culex quinquefasciatus (3,018). The most common source of immature Ae. aegypti were buckets followed by disposable containers. Adult collections yielded 21,226 mosquitoes of nine species. The most common species were Cx. quinquefasciatus (15,215) and Ae. aegypti (3,902). Aedes aegypti were found all year long. Female Ae. aegypti (1,380) were sorted into pools (166) and assayed for flavivirus RNA by RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Two pools were positive for DENV (DENV-1 and 2). In conclusion, we demonstrated that some churches in Merida are infested with mosquitoes all year long and they potentially serve as sites for DENV transmission and should therefore be considered for inclusion in mosquito and arboviruses control and surveillance efforts.