SURVEILLANCE OF AEDES VECTORS IN SELECTED AGRICULTURAL, FOGGING-FREE AND DENGUEPRONE AREAS IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Distributions of Aedes vectors in fifteen study sites comprising of agricultural, fogging-free and dengue-prone areas in Peninsular Malaysia were investigated using ovitraps during January and May 2016 placed indiscriminately inside and outside human premises in all study sites. Cheras, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, a dengue-prone area showed the highest ovitrap index (OI) (96.00%) while the lowest OI (64.00%) was found in both Padang Serai, Kedah and Temerloh, Pahang, fogging-free residential areas. Aedes albopictus was the most dominant species in all study sites while Ae. aegypti was captured in only five study sites. Mean number of larvae per recovered ovitrap among various species is significantly different for all types of areas except for oil palm plantations. The existence of Ae. aegypti in a few and Ae. albopictus in all study sites suggest their roles in the current and forthcoming transmission of dengue virus in these study sites.