Evaluation of three methods to collect anophelines in an endemic area to malaria of the Bolívar state, Venezuela

Abstract

In order to compare the efficiency of different mosquito collection methods, monthly catches of anophelines between January 1999 and April 2000 were performed using human landing catches, CDC light traps and updraft ultraviolet light traps in five localities of the municipality of Sifontes, Bolívar state, Venezuela. A total of 3 335 anophelines belonging to seven species were catched: 1 760 (52.8%) were Anopheles marajoara and 1 120 (33.6%) A. darlingi. The total number of mosquitoes collected with CDC light traps was 1 355 (40.6%), whereas 1,028 (30.8%) and 952 (28.6%) anophelines were caught on human baits and updraft ultraviolet light traps respectively. The percentage of positive collections was 79.2, 74.5 and 71.7 for the CDC traps, ultraviolet traps and human landing catches respectively. The frequency of positive catches were not significatively different. The mean of mosquitoes collected nightly was 1.82 mosquitoes for the CDC traps, 1.32 for the ultraviolet traps and 3.33 for the human bait catches. The number of mosquitoes caught per night on human baits was significantly higher than those on light traps. A positive correlation was found between the monthly catches of A. marajoara and the rain in the two previous months.