Review of the ecology and behaviour of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Western Africa and implications for vector control

Western Africa is vulnerable to arboviral disease transmission, having recently experienced major outbreaks of chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever and Zika. However, there have been relatively few studies on the natural history of the two major human arbovirus vectors in this region, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, potentially limiting the implementation of effective vector control. We systematically searched for and reviewed relevant studies on the behaviour and ecology of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in Western Africa, published over the last 40 years. We identified 73 relevant studies, over half of which were conducted in Nigeria, Senegal, or Côte dʼIvoire. Most studies investigated the ecology of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, exploring the impact of seasonality and land cover on mosquito populations and identifying aquatic habitats. This review highlights the adaptation of Ae. albopictus to urban environments and its invasive potential, and the year-round maintenance of Ae. aegypti populations in water storage containers. However, important gaps were identified in the literature on the behaviour of both species, particularly Ae. albopictus. In Western Africa, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus appear to be mainly anthropophilic and to bite predominantly during the day, but further research is needed to confirm this to inform planning of effective vector control strategies. We discuss the public health implications of these findings and comment on the suitability of existing and novel options for control in Western Africa

Integrating city resilience and mosquito-borne diseases – a multi-site case study from the Resilient Cities Network

Urbanisation is increasing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria in cities, with resulting impacts on health and development. At the same time, cities worldwide are building and investing in urban resilience. It is not known to what extent and how cities are considering mosquito-borne diseases in their resilience strategies. This research uses a multi-site case study methodology, focused on Resilient Cities Network member cities Chennai (India), Paynesville (Liberia) and Medellín (Colombia), to understand the intersection between mosquito-borne diseases and city resilience. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with resilience representatives of each city and document review to explore perceptions of mosquito-borne diseases, their prioritisation in resilience planning and what resilience activities are implemented and how. Analysis showed that while mosquito-borne diseases are not considered explicitly as a resilience challenge, many resilience activities implemented by cities have co-benefits for mosquito-borne disease control or could be enhanced to realise this potential. For Resilient Cities Network member cities looking to integrate mosquito-borne disease control into their resilience approach, we recommend increasing awareness of interlinkages between city resilience and mosquito-borne diseases, leveraging multi-sectoral collaborations with co-benefits for mosquito-borne disease control, and engaging communities in urban planning and mosquito-borne diseases control efforts