Abstract:
Baseline information is provided on the larval density of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) populations in two urban communities in the City of Manila, Philippines, named Barangay 690 and Barangay 693, with varying vegetation densities, drainage systems, and waste disposal practices. Ovitrap surveillance was conducted in twenty households at four-day intervals for six consecutive trials using three ovitrap designs. Populations of Ae. aegypti were detected in the study areas with a mean larval density count of 26.7, a total larval density count of 1389, Ovitrap Index (OI) of 46.8%, and House Index (HI) of 84.2%. A field evaluation of the larvicidal effects of pelletized fruits of Piper nigrum and sundried leaves of Lansium domesticum was performed. Results showed that P. nigrum type ovitraps consistently yielded lower OI, HI, total and mean larval density counts than both the untreated control type and L. domesticum type ovitraps, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.19). There were no significant differences in mean larval densities of indoor and outdoor ovitraps (p = 0.15) and ovitraps placed in Barangay 690 and Barangay 693 (p = 0.18). This indicates that breeding and larval populations of Ae. aegypti are consistently present throughout the study areas.
