Diversity of Aedes aegypti breeding sites in a neighborhood of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires

DE MAJO M.; LOETTI V.; GARZÓN, MAXIMILIANO; DI BATTISTA C.; MONTINI P.; OLIVARES, MARIELA

La Plata

Congreso; II Congress of the Latin American Society for Vector Ecology; 2022

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is associated with the domestic environment, since it uses artificial containers with water located inside houses as breeding sites. This is an important species for public health because it is the main vector of several viruses such as dengue. In 2020, in was registered the largest epidemic of dengue in Argentina with more than 12,400 confirmed cases in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA). Although, houses constitute most of the urban space coverage, there are practically no studies exploring the diversity and importance of mosquito breeding sites in this environment. Several studies have emphasized the need for an intersectoral approach to dengue control that combines environmental management practices with community participation. The aim of this work was to study the diversity of containers that can function as larval habitats of Ae. aegypti in relation to different physical aspects and socioecological characteristics of the inhabitants of the Mariano Moreno neighborhood, in the town of Claypole, in MABA. A sampling of the containers with water was carried out in the houses during the months of February and March, working together with the neighborhood referents. For each container, the presence of Ae. aegypti larvae and/or pupae, type of container and material were recorded. In addition, in each house sampled, a survey was carried out to find out if its inhabitants identified the mosquito breeding sites, and knew the prevention and control measures. The results showed that 60 of the 100 houses visited had mosquito breeding sites. A total of 334 containers were analyzed, and Ae. aegypti larvae or pupae were found in 132 (39.5%). The most common water containers were buckets, representing (22.8%) of the total containers (76/334). The main breeding sites were tires (95%) and the most frequent were plastic containers (39.4%). Of the 34 people who were aware of not accumulating water containers or invert them as a preventive measure against dengue, (53%) had breeding sites in their houses. The main results show that a large proportion of the houses had breeding sites and, in general, the inhabitants of the houses were aware of the main preventive measures. In conclusion, the practices of preventive measures, although they are known by people, are not successfully incorporated into daily life. The challenge is develop proposals of environmental management practices to reduce breeding sites with community participation.