Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH
July 10, 2026 · via Europe PMC
The Occurrence of Two Arboviral Vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes vittatus (Diptera: Culicidae), and Their Associated Risk Factors From a Dengue Outbreak During 2024 in Ghana.
Deku G, Obuobi D, Captain-Esoah M, +6 more, AKwaa-Sekyi P
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
During Accra's 2024 dengue outbreak, Aedes aegypti and the first significant finding of Aedes vittatus bred mostly in discarded tyres and blocked drains.
What was studied
A cross-sectional survey of 1085 habitat sites in 14 neighbourhoods across four districts, identifying immature mosquitoes and pupal productivity.
Key findings
- 49,931 immature mosquitoes were identified, of which 18.5% were Aedes
- Tyres and blocked drains held 77.5% of Aedes immatures and 86.9% of pupal productivity
- Both species co-occurred and were not limited by habitat type
Clinical relevance
A second competent vector raises Ghana's arboviral risk and shows where to target control.
Limitations
Conducted in the wet season only, so year-round patterns are unknown.
Target tyre disposal and drain clearing before and during rainy seasons.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The occurrence patterns of immature Aedes mosquitoes and associated risk factors were investigated during the 2024 dengue outbreak in Ghana.
METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Accra, Ghana, to identify immature mosquito habitat sites coinciding with the country's first officially declared dengue outbreak. Potential developmental sites for immature mosquitoes were inspected, and collected immatures were identified. Field-collected pupae of Aedes species were used as indicators of species occurrence and to estimate habitat productivity.
RESULTS
A total of 49,931 immature mosquito stages were identified from 1085 habitat sites spanning 14 neighbourhoods in 4 districts of Accra. Aedes species comprised 18.5% (n = 9219) with Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes vittatus (Bigot), predominating and co-occurring sympatrically. The degree of infestation by both species across neighbourhood and habitat type was comparable and neither species was limited by habitat type. Discarded car tyres (n = 127/48.7%; pupal positivity = 75/127) and blocked drains (n = 76/29.1%; pupal positivity = 42/76) harboured most of the Aedes immatures (n = 7144/77.5%), and accounted for the highest Aedes pupal productivity (86.9%/650). The Relative Pupal Productivity (RPP) (%) between drain and car tyre across neighbourhood did not differ (p > 0.05) for neither Ae. aegypti nor Ae. vittatus though district/neighbourhood-level variation was noted. Furthermore, habitat type did not affect sex ratio.
CONCLUSION
This study documents the significant presence of Ae. aegypti immatures in blocked drains and tyres in domestic environments in Accra during the 2024 dengue outbreak, and marks the first significant presence of Ae. vittatus, an experimentally proven transmitter of dengue viruses. The expansion of these vectors in urban habitats heightens Ghana's arboviral risk. This study was undertaken during the wet season, a peak period of dengue transmission; thus the findings offer valuable guidance for community-based preparedness, highlighting some key habitats for prioritization before and throughout the rainy seasons in Ghana.
DOI
10.1111/tmi.70199
PMID
42432801
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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