Ocorrência de Aedes aegypti (LINNAEUS) e Aedes albopictus (SKUSE) em São Luís, Maranhão: impactos das variáveis ambientais e climáticas em áreas urbanas e florestais

Abstract

This study evaluated the occurrence of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in urban and forest ecotopes in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, considering the variations between the dry and rainy seasons. Ovitraps were installed in metropolitan and urban forest areas, and the collected data were analyzed using entomological indices (OPI and EDI), sex ratio, and Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA), with Gower's distance as the dissimilarity index. A total of 9,428 eggs were collected, and 5,444 adult individuals were identified, of which 3,626 were Ae. aegypti and 1,815 were Ae. albopictus. It was observed that Ae. aegypti predominated in urban areas, while Ae. albopictus was found in both ecotopes. The PCoA analysis revealed that precipitation, wind speed, and average monthly temperature were the main variables associated with the spatial distribution of the mosquitoes. For Ae. aegypti, precipitation particularly influenced urban environments. In contrast, the average temperature was a determining factor for both urban and forest areas for Ae. albopictus. The results highlight the importance of considering the role of Ae. albopictus as a reservoir in forest fragments, as it may reintroduce diseases into urban areas, representing an additional challenge for vector control.