Distribution of potential dengue vectors in major townships along the national highways and trunk roads of northeast India.

Surveys were conducted in some townships along the national highways and trunk roads of northeast India to detect breeding of Aedes mosquitos in used/waste tire dumps piled outdoors by the tire repairing shops during summer season of 1996-1997. The breeding of both the potential vectors of dengue, viz. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were detected, prevalence rate being in the range of 30.0-88.0 (CI = container index value). The preponderance of Ae. aegypti was considerably much higher than that of Ae. albopictus and all the urban and semiurban areas coming up along the side of the roads were observed to be infested with Ae. aegypti. With respect to transmission of dengue, this study clearly indicates that waste tire dumps in every urban agglomeration should receive primary attention in view of their relative contribution to the abundance and dispersal of these vector mosquitos.