Urban epidemics of mosquito-borne diseases are driven by a close association between mosquito vectors and artificial container habitats near residences. In New Orleans, Louisiana abundant populations of the mosquito species Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), are potentially capable of supporting local transmission of viruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika introduced by infected individuals. Container-inhabiting Aedes mosquito populations are focally abundant, and unevenly distributed across the urban landscape. Accurate estimations of mosquito abundance are important in determining transmission potential and for focusing disease surveillance and control measures. Mosquito collection methods target specific life stages and each has inherit biases. This study characterized common and productive container habitats in residential neighborhoods, evaluated field techniques for measuring vector mosquito abundance, and evaluated mosquitoes for host bloodmeal sources. Knowledge, attitude and practice surveys were conducted in three urban neighborhoods to identify behavioral and residential predictors of potential Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus container habitats. Container habitats were systematically evaluated for immature mosquito abundance. Habitat abundance was compared between neighborhoods and for associations with recent precipitation. In a separate study, collections of adult mosquito were compared using various standard adult mosquito collection traps. Finally, molecular identification techniques were used to determine adult mosquito bloodmeal sources, to human feeding rates during two time periods. These studies will allow public health authorities to develop a comprehensive understanding of the local transmission risk of recently-emerging arboviruses such as Zika, a broad knowledge base of species behavior and can be used to produce tailored educational campaign targeting in advance of future epidemics.
