This species represents a very important disease vector

In a paper published in Journal of Medical Entomology, Patricio Ponce, Yachay Tech University’s Chancellor, announced the presence of the Aedes albopictus mosquito species in Ecuador. This species is common in tropical areas and has been invading the American continent during the past three decades. This information is fundamental for the control of diseases because this mosquito is a disease transmitting vector, just like Aedes aegypti, the biggest dengue transmitter in the country.

The albopictus specimens were collected in urban and highly populated areas of Guayaquil. Now that the species has been identified in Ecuador, the authors of the study suggest that it is fundamental to establish its geographic distribution in the country on future studies. They also uphold the importance of understanding the way Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti interact.

Aedes albopictus has been associated with the transmission of diseases like zika, chikungunya, dengue, different types of encephalitis, yellow fever, and others.

Read the publication here