Abundant <i>Aedes</i> (<i>Stegomyia</i>) <i>aegypti aegypti</i> mosquitoes in the 2014 dengue outbreak area of Mozambique

ABSTRACT

In early 2014, dengue cases were reported from northern Mozambique, 30 years after the last outbreak. We identified potential dengue vector species in three northern towns, Pemba, Nampula and Nacala, and one southern town, Maputo, during the outbreak in April 2014. A major dengue vector species, <i>Aedes</i> (<i>Stegomyia</i>) <i>aegypti</i>, was found in all these towns. The dominant vector subspecies in the northern towns was <i>Aedes aegypti</i> <i>aegypti</i>, while <i>Ae. aegypti formosus </i>was dominant in Maputo. Considering the high proportion of <i>Ae. aegypti</i> <i>aegypti </i>and its high vector competence, the findings from this study suggest that <i>Ae. aegypti aegypti</i> was responsible for the outbreak in northern Mozambique.