Aedes aegypti has become domestic insect

The mosquito that transmits dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus

Published on 15/02/2016 - 09:39 By Paula Laboissière reports from Agência Brasil - Brasília

Mosquito Aedes aegypti

 Aedes aegypti mosquitoArquivo/Agência Brasil

About 50 years ago, the Aedes aegypti began transitioning from the wild to become an urban mosquito. Originating from Egypt, it spread to other parts of the world from Africa—first to the Americas, and then to Asia.

The most widely accepted theories suggest Aedes mosquitoes reached the Americas on slave ships arriving in Brazil. Records indicate mosquitoes were found in Curitiba, Paraná, in the late 19th century, and in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, in the early 20th century.

As they reached the cities, the mosquitoes caused yellow fever and dengue outbreaks. From the mid-1990s, when dengue fever was listed as an endemic disease, the mosquitoes became more prominent, especially during the summer, when conditions are more favorable for mosquito breeding.

Infection in humans occurs through infected Aedes females that feed on human blood to produce eggs. In addition to dengue fever, the mosquito is currently a vector for chikungunya and Zika virus as well.

In an interview to Agência Brasil, Luciano Pamplona, epidemiologist and Secretary-General for the Brazilian Dengue and Arbovirus Society (SBD-A), said the Aedes aegypti can currently be considered a domestic mosquito. “It's almost like a pet,” said Pamplona, who is also a professor of Medicine at the Federal University of Ceará.

Data from the Ministry of Health's Aedes aegypti Quick Survey (LISAa) revealed that the main types of mosquito breeding sites in Northeast Brazil are barrels and water tanks. In the Southeast and Central West, potted plants and bottles are common breeding sites. In the North and South regions of the country, mosquitoes breed primarily in waste.


Translated by Mayra Borges


Fonte: Aedes aegypti has become domestic insect

Edition: Lílian Beraldo / Augusto Queiroz

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