Diversity of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Attracted to Human Subjects in Rubber Plantations, Secondary Forests, and Villages in Luang Prabang Province, Northern Lao PDR

A study in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, reveals that secondary forests harbor significantly higher mosquito populations and vector species compared to rubber plantations and villages. Over nine months, 24,927 female mosquitoes were collected, including 51 new species for the region. Secondary forests showed greater abundance of vectors for dengue, Japanese encephalitis (JE), lymphatic filariasis, and malaria than immature and mature rubber plantations, with Aedes albopictus dominating in natural and man-made forests, while Culex vishnui was prevalent in villages. The research used human-baited traps and generalized estimating equations to analyze habitat differences, highlighting concerns about Ae. albopictus's dominance outside urban areas where vector control is typically focused.

Tangena, J.-A. A., Thammavong, P., Malaithong, N., Inthavong, T., Ouanesamon, P., Brey, P. T., & Lindsay, S. W. (2017). Diversity of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Attracted to Human Subjects in Rubber Plantations, Secondary Forests, and Villages in Luang Prabang Province, Northern Lao PDR. Journal of Medical Entomology, 54(6), 1589–1604. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjx071