Movement of dengue vectors between the human modified environment and an urban forest in Rio de Janeiro

J Med Entomol. 2006 Nov;43(6):1112-20. doi: 10.1603/0022-2585(2006)43[1112:modvbt]2.0.co;2.

Abstract

The movement of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) females between sylvatic and urban environments was investigated by marking, releasing, and recapturing adults and by identifying rubidium (Rb)-marked eggs of females that were released after taking a bloodmeal containing RbCI. When released in the forest, Ae. albopictus females flew as far as 1000 m and reached houses within 1 wk. When Ae. albopictus were released close to houses, most females were recaptured near the release point, and Rb-marked eggs were found 1000 m away in the forest only once, 35 d after the release. These differing patterns of movement may suggest a preference of Ae. albopictus for the human-modified environment. Ae. aegypti, however, showed low tendency to disperse into the forest. The capacity of Ae. albopictus females to disperse from a sylvatic into a human-modified environment suggests that this species may play a role in the dissemination of forest-restricted pathogens, such as yellow fever virus.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / physiology*
  • Aedes / virology
  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Demography
  • Dengue Virus*
  • Environment*
  • Female
  • Insect Vectors / physiology*
  • Insect Vectors / virology
  • Motor Activity / physiology*
  • Population Dynamics
  • Rubidium

Substances

  • Rubidium