Use of the pupal/demographic-survey technique to identify the epidemiologically important types of containers producing Aedes aegypti (L.) in a dengue-endemic area of Venezuela.

As dengue continues to emerge as a major public-health problem world-wide, efforts to control the dengue vector Aedes aegypti must become more effective and efficient. Results from larval and pupal surveys applied in Venezuela illustrate the uniqueness of the information gained from pupal surveys; information that is lost when traditional Stegomyia indices are calculated. As most Ae. aegypti pupae will emerge to become adults, controlling the containers that produce the most pupae could have the greatest impact on the adult population. Pupal-survey results in Venezuela showed that large (150- to 200-litre) water drums produce the greatest number of pupae throughout the year. In the rainy season, approximately 70% of all pupae are found in these drums or in tyres, buckets and tanks. Over 80% of pupae in the dry season are found in drums and tanks alone. By targeting only those domestic breeding containers that produce the greatest number of pupae, control efforts may be streamlined to have the greatest impact on reducing the local adult Ae. aegypti population.