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Copyright

Roberto Barrera;

Published On

2025-07-04

Page Range

pp. 31–48

Language

  • English

Print Length

18 pages

5. Dengue Vector Surveillance

  • Roberto Barrera (author)
Chapter of: Surveillance and Control of Dengue Vectors in the United States and Territories(pp. 31–48)
This chapter underscores the necessity of monitoring Aedes mosquito populations to understand transmission risk, detect exotic species, and evaluate control measures. The chapter details various surveillance methods targeting both immature (larval/pupal) and adult stages, highlighting their strengths and limitations.

For pre-adults, larval indices and pupal surveys help to assess infestation levels and identify productive aquatic habitats. Adult surveillance techniques, including ovitraps, aspirators, and specialized traps like BG-Sentinel and sticky gravid traps, monitor the virus-transmitting female mosquitoes. This chapter emphasizes that adult surveillance provides a more direct measure of transmission risk.

This chapter recommends an integrated approach using both immature and adult surveillance methods. Pupal surveys inform larval control, while adult traps directly assess transmission potential. Furthermore, the chapter introduces virus surveillance in mosquitoes using RT-PCR, which indicates human infection risk and helps to pinpoint transmission foci. The vector index combines mosquito density and infection rates for a comprehensive risk assessment.

Ultimately, this chapter equips public health professionals with knowledge of essential tools and strategies for robust dengue vector surveillance, enabling data-driven interventions to reduce disease burden.

Contributors

Roberto Barrera

(author)

Roberto Barrera, PhD, is a researcher specializing in mosquito ecology, with a focus on disease-vector ecology, control strategies, and the eco-epidemiology of diseases caused by vector-borne pathogens. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology, majoring in Ecology, from the Central University of Venezuela, where he initiated his research on urban mosquito ecology. Dr Barrera pursued his PhD in Ecology at the Pennsylvania State University, focusing on mosquito ecology. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Florida, studying biotic interactions among Aedes mosquitoes. After retiring as a meritorious Professor at the Central University of Venezuela, Dr Barrera joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the Team Lead of the Entomology and Ecology Activity at the Dengue Branch in Puerto Rico. His current work involves investigating the ecology and control of dengue vectors. Throughout his career, Dr Barrera has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to public health practice and programme evaluation. He has also helped various countries during epidemics and natural disasters across different world regions. With over 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles, a book chapter, guidelines on vector surveillance and control, and extensive participation in conferences and workshops, Dr Barrera is widely recognized for his expertise in the field of ecological studies and control measures related to vector-borne pathogens.