Qingqing Yin#, Li Li#, Xiang Guo, Rangke Wu, Benyun Shi, Yuji Wang, Yingjie Liu, Shang Wu, Yicheng Pan, Qi Wang, Tian Xie, Tian Hu, Dan Xia, Shang Xia, Dzinkambani Mofat Kambalame, Wanyu Li, Zhangyao Song, Siyun Zhou, Ye Deng, Yu Xie, Xiao-Nong Zhou, Chunmei Wang*, Xiao-Guang Chen, Xiaohong Zhou*

ABSTRACT

Background: The global spread of mosquito-borne diseases (MBD) has presented increasing challenges to public health. The transmission of MBD is mainly attributable to the biting behaviors of female mosquitoes. However, the ecological pattern of hourly host-seeking behavior in Aedes albopictus and its association with climatic variables are still not well understood, especially for a precise requirement for establishing an efective risk prediction system of MBD transmission.

Methods: Mosquito samples and data on mosquito hourly density and site-specifc climatic variables, including temperature, relative humidity, illuminance and wind speed, were collected simultaneously in urban outdoor environments in Guangzhou during 2016–2018. Kernel regression models were used to assess the temporal patterns of hourly host-seeking behavior in mosquito populations, and negative binomial regression models in the Bayesian framework were used to investigate the associations of host-seeking behavior with climatic variables.

Results: Aedes albopictus was abundant, constituting 82% (5569/6790) of the total collected mosquitoes. Host-seeking behavior in Ae. albopictus varied across time and was signifcantly infuenced by climatic variables. The predicted hourly mosquito densities showed non-linear relationships with temperature and illuminance, whereas density increased with relative humidity but generally decreased with wind speed. The range of temperature estimates for female biting was 16.4–37.1 °C, peaking at 26.5 °C (95% credible interval: 25.3–28.1). During the favorable periods, biting behavior of female Ae. albopictus was estimated to occur frequently all day long, presenting a bimodal distribution with peaks within 2–3 h around both dawn and dusk (05:00–08:00 h and 16:00–19:00 h). Moreover, a short-term association in hourly density between the females and males was found.

Conclusions: Our feld-based modeling study reveals that hourly host-seeking behavior of Ae. albopictus exhibits a complex pattern, with hourly variation constrained signifcantly by climatic variables. These fndings lay a foundation for improving MBD risk assessments as well as practical strategies for vector control. For instances of all-day-long frequent female biting during the favorable periods in Guangzhou, efective integrated mosquito control measures must be taken throughout the day and night.

Parasites & Vectors. 2019; 12: 474.

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3715-1