[Factors associated to the Aedes aegypti (dipthera: culicidae) presence in two Cuban regions].

Abstract

Introduction: despite the Cuban government's efforts to exert control over the dengue vector Aedes aegypti, this mosquito is still present in several municipalities of the City of Havana and those of other provinces.

Objective: to find out some aspects related to the existence of Ae. aegypti in 2 Cuban regions.

Methods: a complete sampling was performed in Lisa municipality located in the western region and in Cienfuegos municipality on the south central part of the country from 2006 to 2008. Capturing methods of adult mosquitoes include human bait and capture at rest. The aspects for comparison were breeding reservoirs used by the mosquito, number of reservoirs full of larvae at a time, number of captured adult mosquitoes and ecological plasticity of the vector.

Results: water tanks on the ground were the most positive containers to the Ae. aegypti presence in both regions. In Lisa municipality, the second type of container in positivity was the can, whereas in Cienfuegos municipality, the group of assorted containers held the second place. Cienfuegos exhibited the highest number of reservoirs with Ae. aegypti in 2006, but Lisa recorded the highest figures in 2007 and 2008. Generally speaking, over 50% of positive containers to the mosquito were found in both municipalities during August through November.

Conclusions: Ae. aegypti showed similar behaviour with respect to the compared aspects in both regions; it was just different in the number of types of containers used by this species for breeding purposes.