Aedes aegypti container preference for oviposition and its possible implications for dengue vector surveillance in Delhi, India.

OBJECTIVES: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease globally transmitted by Aedes aegypti. The most effective method to prevent the transmission of the disease is proficient vector control. Understanding the breeding behaviour of the responsible vectors is very pertinent in this regard; therefore, the present study was conducted to understand Ae. aegypti behaviour regarding the selection of containers for oviposition in the megacity of Delhi.

METHODS: A household survey in different localities within Delhi was carried out during 2018-2019. All available containers were inspected for the presence of immature Ae. aegypti. In entomological surveillance, the ovipositional preference of Aedes was computed using the breeding preference ratio, container index in the field, and laboratory settings, and associations of dengue cases with monthly variation in environmental factors and container type were also calculated.

RESULTS: The household larval survey in 40 localities showed that 40% of 27,776 water-holding containers in 3,400 houses were plastic, followed by overhead tanks (26.2%), and coolers (12.1%). The most preferred breeding habitat was clay pots (9.3%), followed by metallic containers (8.5%) and solid waste (7.1%). A laboratory-based study showed that Aedes preferred clay containers (81.8%) over 4 other types of containers (plastic, paper, metal, and glass).

CONCLUSION: The present study provides a rationale for using clay containers as a possible surveillance tool (ovitraps) or as a vector control tool. This information might aid researchers in developing novel traps and targeting preferred containers for larval control activities during transmission and non-transmission seasons.