Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Dengue and Lymphatic Filariasis Vectors along an Altitudinal Transect in Central Nepal
| Autor: | Ishan Gautam, Ruth Müller, Meghnath Dhimal, Ulrich Kuch, Aljoscha Kreß |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Veterinary medicine Atmospheric Science Epidemiology RC955-962 Social Sciences Dengue virus medicine.disease_cause Dengue fever Dengue Aedes Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine Medicine and Health Sciences Public and Occupational Health Longitudinal Studies Lymphatic filariasis biology Ecology Geography Culex Infectious Diseases Physical Sciences Female Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Research Article Aedes albopictus Science Policy Human Geography Elephantiasis Filarial Spatio-Temporal Analysis Nepal medicine Parasitic Diseases Animals Humans ddc:610 Ecosystem fungi Ecology and Environmental Sciences Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Biology and Life Sciences biology.organism_classification medicine.disease Culex quinquefasciatus Insect Vectors Species Interactions Vector (epidemiology) Anthropology People and Places Earth Sciences Hydrology |
| Zdroj: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 8, Iss 7, p e3035 (2014) |
| ISSN: | 1935-2735 1935-2727 |
| Popis: | Background Rapidly increasing temperatures in the mountain region of Nepal and recent reports of dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis cases from mountainous areas of central Nepal prompted us to study the spatio-temporal distribution of the vectors of these two diseases along an altitudinal transect in central Nepal. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a longitudinal study in four distinct physiographical regions of central Nepal from September 2011 to February 2012. We used BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps to capture adult mosquitoes. We found the geographical distribution of the dengue virus vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus along our study transect to extend up to 1,310 m altitude in the Middle Mountain region (Kathmandu). The distribution of the lymphatic filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus extended up to at least 2,100 m in the High Mountain region (Dhunche). Statistical analysis showed a significant effect of the physiographical region and month of collection on the abundance of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus only. BG-Sentinel traps captured significantly higher numbers of A. aegypti than CDC light traps. The meteorological factors temperature, rainfall and relative humidity had significant effects on the mean number of A. aegypti per BG-Sentinel trap. Temperature and relative humidity were significant predictors of the number of C. quinquefasciatus per CDC light trap. Dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis cases had previously been reported from all vector positive areas except Dhunche which was free of known lymphatic filariasis cases. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that dengue virus vectors have already established stable populations up to the Middle Mountains of Nepal, supporting previous studies, and report for the first time the distribution of lymphatic filariasis vectors up to the High Mountain region of this country. The findings of our study should contribute to a better planning and scaling-up of mosquito-borne disease control programmes in the mountainous areas of Nepal. Author Summary Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by the bites of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, has been rapidly spreading in Nepal since it was first reported in this country in 2004. Similarly, lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in Nepal, is a public health problem in terms of morbidity and impact on the social and economic status of poor people living in rural and slum areas. Evidence for more pronounced temperature rises in higher altitudes of Nepal and an increasing frequency of dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis cases reported from mountain areas, in the absence of recent data on the mosquito vectors of these diseases, prompted us to investigate their distribution and abundance in this country. In our study, we document the distribution of A. aegypti and A. albopictus from the lowlands up to 1,310 m altitude in Kathmandu, and the distribution of C. quinquefasciatus up to Dhunche (2,100 m altitude), the highest locality included in this study. The wide distribution of these important disease vectors in the mountains, previously considered non-endemic for dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis, calls for an extension and scaling-up of vector-borne disease surveillance and control programmes in Nepal. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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