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- Title
Effects of desiccation stress on adult female longevity in <italic>Aedes aegypti</italic> and <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic> (Diptera: Culicidae): results of a systematic review and pooled survival analysis.
- Authors
Schmidt, Chris A.; Comeau, Genevieve; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Williamson, Daniel J.; Ernst, Kacey C.
- Abstract
Background: Transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya are affected by the longevity of the adult female mosquito. Environmental conditions influence the survival of adult female <italic>Aedes</italic> mosquitoes, the primary vectors of these viruses. While the association of temperature with <italic>Aedes</italic> mortality has been relatively well-explored, the role of humidity is less established. The current study's goals were to compile knowledge of the influence of humidity on adult survival in the important vector species <italic>Aedes aegypti</italic> and <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic>, and to quantify this relationship while accounting for the modifying effect of temperature. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review to identify studies reporting experimental results informing the relationships among temperature, humidity and adult survival in <italic>Ae. aegypti</italic> and <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic>. Using a novel simulation approach to harmonize disparate survival data, we conducted pooled survival analyses via stratified and mixed effects Cox regression to estimate temperature-dependent associations between humidity and mortality risk for these species across a broad range of temperatures and vapor pressure deficits. Results: After screening 1517 articles, 17 studies (one in semi-field and 16 in laboratory settings) met inclusion criteria and collectively reported results for 192 survival experiments. We review and synthesize relevant findings from these studies. Our stratified model estimated a strong temperature-dependent association of humidity with mortality in both species, though associations were not significant for <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic> in the mixed effects model. Lowest mortality risks were estimated around 27.5 °C and 21.5 °C for <italic>Ae. aegypti</italic> and <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic>, respectively, and mortality increased non-linearly with decreasing humidity. <italic>Aedes aegypti</italic> had a survival advantage relative to <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic> in the stratified model under most conditions, but species differences were not significant in the mixed effects model. Conclusions: Humidity is associated with mortality risk in adult female <italic>Ae. aegypti</italic> in controlled settings. Data are limited at low humidities, temperature extremes, and for <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic>, and further studies should be conducted to reduce model uncertainty in these contexts. Desiccation is likely an important factor in <italic>Aedes</italic> population dynamics and viral transmission in arid regions. Models of <italic>Aedes</italic>-borne virus transmission may be improved by more comprehensively representing humidity effects.
- Subjects
AEDES albopictus; DEHYDRATION; AEDES aegypti; DIPTERA; SURVIVALISM; PHYSIOLOGY
- Publication
Parasites & Vectors, 2018, Vol 11, Issue 1, pN.PAG
- ISSN
1756-3305
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/s13071-018-2808-6