Browsing by Author "Nandram, Naresh"

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    Field trials reveal the complexities of deploying and evaluating the impacts of yeast-baited ovitraps on Aedes mosquito densities in Trinidad, West Indie
    (Springer Nature, 2022-03-08) James, Lester D.; Winter, Nikhella; Stewart, Akilah T. M.; Feng, Rachel Shui; Nandram, Naresh; Mohammed, Azad; Duman‑Scheel, Molly; Romero‑Severson, Ethan; Severson, David W.; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    The use of lure-and-kill, large-volume ovitraps to control Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations has shown promise across multiple designs that target gravid females (adulticidal) or larvae post-oviposition (larvicidal). Here we report on a pilot trial to deploy 10 L yeast-baited ovitraps at select sites in Curepe, Trinidad, West Indies during July to December, 2019. Oviposition rates among ovitraps placed in three Treatment sites were compared to a limited number of traps placed in three Control areas (no Aedes management performed), and three Vector areas (subjected to standard Ministry of Health, Insect Vector Control efforts). Our goal was to gain baseline information on efforts to saturate the Treatment sites with ovitraps within 20-25 m of each other and compare oviposition rates at these sites with background oviposition rates in Control and Vector Areas. Although yeast-baited ovitraps were highly attractive to gravid Aedes females, a primary limitation encountered within the Treatment sites was the inability to gain access to residential compounds for trap placement, primarily due to residents being absent during the day. This severely limited our intent to saturate these areas with ovitraps, indicating that future studies must include plans to account for these inaccessible zones during trap placement.
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    GIS-Enhanced Survey of Potential Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Artificial Oviposition Containers Distributed across Communities in Trinidad, West Indies
    (MDPI, 2024-10-08) Hapairai, Limb K.; Seeramsingh, Roshan; James, Lester D.; Feng, Rachel S.; Nandram, Naresh; Mohammed, Azad; Duman-Scheel, Molly; Severson, David W.; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    Dengue and other arboviruses remain a global threat, and enhanced efforts to control the mosquitoes that transmit them are urgently needed. A survey of potential manmade Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) oviposition containers was performed in four communities near the end of the typical dry season in 2018 in Trinidad, West Indies. The purpose was to conduct individual premise surveys and use GIS mapping to visualize premises within communities that had Aedes-positive containers, as this information could be used for the prioritization of mosquito control efforts in potential high risk areas as the wet season progressed. Accessible premises were surveyed following standard inspection protocols used by the Insect Vector Control Division (IVCD), Ministry of Health (MOH). The results indicated that two of the four locations would be at high risk for arbovirus transmission going into the wet season. The GIS mapping of premises with Aedes-positive containers facilitated the identification of potential hot spots for arbovirus transmission risk within communities that should be prioritized for enhanced monitoring and vector control efforts, emphasizing the need to increase community participation in standard surveys by IVCD.