[Presence of Aedes aegypti in water tanks on the ground and the implications for dengue control in Camagüey province].

Abstract

Introduction: Water tanks placed on the ground are an important drinking water container at home; however, Aedes aegypti is very frequently colonizing this kind of reservoirs in an urban health area of Camagüey province, Cuba.

Objectives: to determine the entomological contribution of these water tanks -widely distributed containers at community setting- to infestation by Aedes aegypti in an urban health area of Camagüey province.

Methods: Out of the total number of containers positive to Aedes aegypty, the amount of water tanks involved was estimated, in order to determine the specific container rate (sCR) together with the average of pupas per positive water tank on the ground. These tanks were characterized during the study of the house using an application form prepared to this end. Similarly, the average total number of hours that the tanks remained uncovered was estimated.

Results: It was found that 36.03 % of all positive containers were water tanks on the ground, which were mostly filled with water from the aqueduct outdoors; being the sCR = 2,69. Over 97% of them had faulty covers whereas 92.5% remained uncovered for 6 or 7 hours a day. Seventeen positive tanks sheltered 41 pupas for an average of 2.41 pupas per tank.

Conclusions: The contribution of water tanks on the ground to the presence of Aedes aegypti pupas in the area makes it necessary to give priority to the inspection and surveillance of such containers on the part of the population and the expert staff The supply of new covers will not represent the final solution to this problem if the behaviour of the dwellers in a house does not change. It is required to improve the information to be provided to the population so that the risk perception is changed and the level of knowledge on this topic is raised. In this way, it will be possible to involve the community more actively in this process as a key element to make it really sustainable.