Household and community drivers of Aedes aegypti infestation in tropical cities: Guiding community-led interventions
8 affiliations
- 1School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- 2Cabot Institute for the Environment, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- 3Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- 4Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- 5Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- 6Faculty of Medicine of Bahia, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- 7Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- 8Fiocruz Rondônia, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
Abstract
Disadvantaged communities characterised by poor sanitation conditions, overcrowding, and limited vector control are highly susceptible to Aedes aegypti proliferation and arboviral disease transmission. Effective mosquito vector control requires a detailed understanding of Ae. aegypti oviposition preferences and spatial distribution within such urban environments. This study aimed to identify key environmental and behavioural drivers of Ae. aegypti proliferation in disadvantaged communities of Salvador, Brazil, combining household surveys, entomological assessments, and remote sensing to guide targeted public health interventions. Between March and December 2023, using a systematic sampling approach, an entomological survey was conducted in 174 households, alongside a socio-demographic and environmental visual inspection survey in 119 households within two disadvantaged communities of Salvador. Ovitraps were used to collect Ae. aegypti eggs and immatures, providing a detailed assessment of mosquito density. The visual inspection survey identified potential breeding sites (sources of standing water) for Ae. aegypti in the peri-domestic environment. Landcover classification was performed to provide insights into vegetation coverage and other landscape features in the study area. Multivariate modelling explored associations between environmental and household factors, and Ae. aegypti density. Of the 303 recovered ovitraps, 85 (55.6%) indoor and 123 (82.0%) outdoor were positive for eggs, with a total of 11,211 Ae. aegypti eggs recorded. Environmental factors strongly associated with egg abundance included ovitrap location, garbage deposited in front of the house, proximity (within 10 m) to an open sewer, and the presence of open plastic containers in the peri-domestic environment. No significant spatial clustering of mosquito egg density was observed. Breeding was most prolific in the peri-domestic environment, highlighting the importance of keeping these areas clean and well-managed. Improving waste disposal, water storage practices, and sanitation infrastructure could enhance the effectiveness of vector control. These findings provide evidence to inform integrated strategies for reducing arboviral disease risk in disadvantaged urban settings. Author summary: Mosquito-borne diseases are a major threat to human health, particularly in disadvantaged communities that lack the resources to manage them. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, thrive in tropical climates and are extending their range as temperatures increase due to climate change. Therefore, it is important to develop effective strategies to control these mosquitoes to minimise the spread of disease. Environmental management is considered a sustainable way of reducing mosquito breeding sites. This study identified household and community drivers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in vulnerable communities of Salvador, Brazil.
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BibTeX
@article{griffin2026household,
title = {{Household and community drivers of Aedes aegypti infestation in tropical cities: Guiding community-led interventions}},
author = {Eimear Griffin and Thiago da Mata Barreto and Zoe Ward and Juliet Oliveira Santana and Hussein Khalil and Mike Begon and Mitermayer Galvão G. Reis and Cleber Cremonese and Federico Costa and Hernan D. Argibay and Guy Howard},
journal = {PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0014728},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014728},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Household and community drivers of Aedes aegypti infestation in tropical cities: Guiding community-led interventions
AU - Eimear Griffin
AU - Thiago da Mata Barreto
AU - Zoe Ward
AU - Juliet Oliveira Santana
AU - Hussein Khalil
AU - Mike Begon
AU - Mitermayer Galvão G. Reis
AU - Cleber Cremonese
AU - Federico Costa
AU - Hernan D. Argibay
AU - Guy Howard
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014728
UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014728
AB - Disadvantaged communities characterised by poor sanitation conditions, overcrowding, and limited vector control are highly susceptible to Aedes aegypti proliferation and arboviral disease transmission. Effective mosquito vector control requires a detailed understanding of Ae. aegypti oviposition preferences and spatial distribution within such urban environments. This study aimed to identify key environmental and behavioural drivers of Ae. aegypti proliferation in disadvantaged communities of Salvador, Brazil, combining household surveys, entomological assessments, and remote sensing to guide targeted public health interventions. Between March and December 2023, using a systematic sampling approach, an entomological survey was conducted in 174 households, alongside a socio-demographic and environmental visual inspection survey in 119 households within two disadvantaged communities of Salvador. Ovitraps were used to collect Ae. aegypti eggs and immatures, providing a detailed assessment of mosquito density. The visual inspection survey identified potential breeding sites (sources of standing water) for Ae. aegypti in the peri-domestic environment. Landcover classification was performed to provide insights into vegetation coverage and other landscape features in the study area. Multivariate modelling explored associations between environmental and household factors, and Ae. aegypti density. Of the 303 recovered ovitraps, 85 (55.6%) indoor and 123 (82.0%) outdoor were positive for eggs, with a total of 11,211 Ae. aegypti eggs recorded. Environmental factors strongly associated with egg abundance included ovitrap location, garbage deposited in front of the house, proximity (within 10 m) to an open sewer, and the presence of open plastic containers in the peri-domestic environment. No significant spatial clustering of mosquito egg density was observed. Breeding was most prolific in the peri-domestic environment, highlighting the importance of keeping these areas clean and well-managed. Improving waste disposal, water storage practices, and sanitation infrastructure could enhance the effectiveness of vector control. These findings provide evidence to inform integrated strategies for reducing arboviral disease risk in disadvantaged urban settings. Author summary: Mosquito-borne diseases are a major threat to human health, particularly in disadvantaged communities that lack the resources to manage them. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, thrive in tropical climates and are extending their range as temperatures increase due to climate change. Therefore, it is important to develop effective strategies to control these mosquitoes to minimise the spread of disease. Environmental management is considered a sustainable way of reducing mosquito breeding sites. This study identified household and community drivers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in vulnerable communities of Salvador, Brazil.
SN - 1935-2735
ER -