Speaker
Description
PREFERENCE: POSTER
Key words: Aedes mosquitoes, Arboviruses, Lethality, Logistic regression, Public health.
Background: Mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are important vectors of arboviruses such as dengue, zika, and chikungunya, posing major public health challenges globally. Conventional control measures, including insecticide-treated nets and spraying, are increasingly limited by resistance, necessitating alternative strategies.
Objective: This study assessed the attractiveness and lethality of fermented fruit-based toxic sugar baits (TSBs) prepared from mango (Mangifera indica), banana (Musa sp.), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) against Aedes mosquitoes under controlled laboratory conditions.
Methods: Larvae were collected from breeding sites in four communities within the Ashanti Region, Ghana, and reared into adults. A total of 2,250 adult mosquitoes were exposed to fermented fruit juices mixed with 1% boric acid at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. Attraction was assessed by mosquito landing rates, while lethality was measured over 24–48 hours
Key findings: Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and logistic regression. Results showed that all three fruits attracted mosquitoes, but watermelon exhibited the highest attraction, particularly among males. Mango-based baits produced the highest mortality (mean = 8.05), significantly greater than watermelon but not different from banana. Lower concentrations (5% and 10%) consistently yielded higher mortality compared to 15%, where effectiveness declined, with an estimated LC₅₀ of 2.93%. Logistic regression confirmed a significant negative association between concentration and mortality (p < 0.001).
Implications: fruit-based TSBs demonstrate strong potential as eco-friendly alternatives for Aedes control, with watermelon being the most attractive and mango the most lethal at optimal concentrations. Field trials are recommended to validate these laboratory findings for integrated vector management.