Adult Control III
Adult Control III
The invasive mosquito, Aedes aegypti, poses health risks in urban areas due to its ability to transmit dengue and several other arboviruses, a preference for blood-feeding on humans, and prolific breeding in human-made containers found around homes. This study in Madera, California aimed to determine whether blocking mosquitoes’ access to yard drains with both a cap and plastic matrix could reduce adult Ae. aegypti abundance in a single suburban neighborhood. The 10-week study follows a stepped-wedge design with three phases. Forty-five Biogents Sentinel traps were placed in the targeted area and monitored daily. For the first two weeks, monitoring occurred without any intervention to establish baseline data. Starting from week 3, houses in the northern wedge had their lawn drains capped, followed by the southern wedge in week 5 and the central wedge in week 7. Our findings reveal a substantial reduction in the Ae. aegypti population within the study area. This research highlights the practical importance of managing Ae. aegypti populations through source reduction in an urban community and its potential impact on public health.