Geographical Limits of the Southeastern Distribution of Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae) in Argentina

DÍAZ NIETO LM; MACIÁ A; PEROTTI MA; BERÓN CM

PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Año: 2013 vol. 7 p. 1 - 6

1935-2735

The current geographical distribution of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) in South America is dramatically expanding inside Argentina, reaching a wider distribution than during its early eradication, in 1915. In the same way, cases of dengue have increased during the last few years, and the situation has been recently worsened by the confirmation of the presence of the different Dengue serotypes circulating at the same time in new regions. Here we report the passive South-eastern migration of A. aegypti in Argentina. Mosquito larvae and pupae were collected between January and March 2011 in cemeteries and tyre-repair stations or "gomerías" all situated along main routes of the country (Buenos Aires Province) connecting the North with South. Our new findings set A. aegypti in the town of Lezama (35º52´S), 40 km more South than the previous southernmost record in 2006. A. aegypti is likely to be taking advantage is taking advantage of human transportation in one of the most used throughways of the country, Route N°2, passively migrating to the Southeast. The establishment of this mosquito in densely populated areas of Argentina and the potential of the circulation of different dengue serotypes in new areas of the country urges the development and application of control measures to avoid the risk of hyperendemic dengue transmission and dengue hemorrhagic fever.