MONITORING & SURVEILLANCE
Our laboratory monitors and surveys Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Surveillance
Mosquito ID
Insectary
Insecticide Resistance Monitoring
Surveillance
Traps are used to monitor the abundance of mosquitoes in specific locations.
The Monitoring and Surveillance team use traps to attract mosquitoes using water and hay infusions.
In some cases, adult mosquitoes and eggs trapped can be used to test viral presence and insecticide resistance, respectively.
The data collected will inform and support the mosquito control efforts conducted by the PRVCU and in partnership with collaborating agencies.
Ovitraps are used to collect Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs for monitoring the presence or absence of these mosquitoes in the community
How does it work?
The ovitrap consists of a black cup containing water and a piece of collection paper covering the inside walls of the cup. The female mosquito who is looking to lay her eggs in a container with accumulated water, will lay them on the collection paper. Once a week, our field technicians will take the collection paper to the laboratory and will replace it with a new one.
Once in the laboratory, technicians will inspect the papers to determine the presence or absence of Aedes aegypti eggs. Collection paper containing Aedes aegypti eggs are stored in the laboratory to be used for mosquito rearing. Once adult mosquitoes are obtained they could be used to perform insecticide resistance testing.
Ovitraps do not use insecticide and are not meant to kill or control mosquitoes.
The Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO) is designed to attract and capture female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes trying to find a place to lay their eggs.
How does it work?
The black container holds 10 liters of a water and hay infusion. The dark color of the trap and the odor from the infusion attracts female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, looking for somewhere with water to lay their eggs. Mosquitoes enter the capture chamber but a screen prevents them from getting close to the water. Ready to lay their eggs female mosquitoes land on the sticky adhesive surface inside the trap and become stuck. Our field technicians will collect the capture chamber once a week and take it to the laboratory where mosquitoes are then removed from the sticky paper, identified and counted.
These traps do not contain insecticide and the PRVCU is currently not using them to control mosquito populations.
Our laboratory monitors and surveys Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Mosquito ID
Scientists have recorded around 40 different species of mosquitoes in Puerto Rico. Culex and Aedes species are the most common mosquitoes found on the Island.
Our laboratory technicians are trained to identify mosquitoes based on their physical characteristics. Technicians identify and count the number of mosquitoes present in the surveillance traps. This information is recorded using an in-house ArcGIS system that integrates the information collected from the field.
Insectary
Our insectary has been designed to provide the appropriate conditions for the growth and survival of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in a laboratory setting. Laboratory technicians use the eggs collected by ovitraps in the field for mosquito rearing. During this process the collection paper containing the eggs is submerged in water to hatch the mosquito. After 7-10 days adult mosquitoes will emerge and can be used for insecticide resistance testing.
The larvae, pupae, and adult mosquitoes generated in the laboratory are also used for the educational activities conducted by the PRVCU.
Mosquitoes can develop resistance to commonly used insecticides
Insecticide Resistance Monitoring
The PRVCU is testing insecticides currently available for use in Puerto Rico to determine their effectiveness against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The information generated will be available to interested stakeholders to aid in their decision-making process about insecticide use.
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MONITORING & SURVEILLANCE
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