Virology

Ecology

Infestation

Aedes

Dengue fever

Environmental health

Population

Biology

Zoology

Panama

Botany

Aedes aegypti

Invasive species

Aedes albopictus

Veterinary medicine

Larva

Biological dispersal

Medicine

Parasites & Vectors

The long-distance dispersal of the invasive disease vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus has introduced arthropod-borne viruses into new geographical regions, causing a significant medical and economic burden. The used-tire industry is an effective means of Aedes dispersal, yet studies to determine Aedes occurrence and the factors influencing their distribution along local transport networks are lacking. To assess infestation along the primary transport network of Panama we documented all existing garages that trade used tires on the highway and surveyed a subset for Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. We also assess the ability of a mass spectrometry approach to classify mosquito eggs by comparing our findings to those based on traditional larval surveillance.

High infestation of invasive Aedes mosquitoes in used tires along the local transport network of Panama