Submitted by the MVCAC VVBD Committee
Birhanie, SB, et al. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 41(3): 134-142.
ABSTRACT. The In2Care Mosquito Station, which uses biological control agents to target Aedes mosquitoes, has shown promise when integrated into existing integrated vector management strategies. This study evaluated the impact of pre-season deployment of In2Care stations on Ae. aegypti populations. Two cohorts were established: 1 with 17 sites deploying stations pre-season (April–November), and another with 15 sites deploying during peak season (July–November), maintained during 2022–2024. Monthly BG-2 Sentinel trap data showed a significant reduction in Ae. aegypti abundance at pre-season In2Care sites: from 31.2 mosquitoes/trap-night in 2022 to 20.1 in 2023 and 13.2 in 2024, with a year-to-year reduction of 34–36%. Peak-season In2Care sites showed a 24–36% reduction in mosquito abundance four weeks post-deployment. Pre-season In2Care sites maintained 22–34% lower mosquito abundance than peak-season sites. These results demonstrate that early deployment of In2Care stations prior to the mosquito season significantly reduces Ae. aegypti populations and reinforces the existing integrated vector management programs.