News

RUSVM Conducts a Mosquito Survey of St. Kitts

04/02/10

Josh Smith explains the process of catching mosquitos with the BG Sentinel trap while Darion John-King (left), Dr. Tammi Krecek (middle foreground), Floyd Revan (second from right), and Dr. Hamish Mohammed (right), look on. Each trap was checked and mosquitos were collected daily for a week. (Photograph by Matt McMillan)

Dr. Hamish Mohammed, assistant professor of epidemiology, in collaboration with Mr. Joshua Smith, entomologist with the Fairfax County Department of Health, Virginia, US, and the Environmental Office of the Ministry of Health of St. Kitts and Nevis, recently concluded a mosquito survey in 11 sites throughout St. Kitts. Mosquitoes were trapped using the BG-SentinelTM trap in a variety of habitats ranging from the Great Salt Pond to the rainforest of Old Road. This study was conducted to update the findings of classic surveys performed in the 1970s and 1980s.

The most commonly trapped species were Aedes aegypti (an urban mosquito and the vector of dengue virus), Culex quinquefasciatus (another urban mosquito and a vector of West Nile Virus), and Aedes taeniorhynchus (a salt marsh mosquito and a vector for dog heartworm and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitic Virus).

A follow up study will take place in October 2010. For additional information regarding this project please contact Dr. Hamish Mohammed.

Mr. Josh Smith demonstrates how the mosquito traps are used. Ms. Thuy-Vi Nguyen (Student research assistant, RUSVM), Mr. Floyd Revan, and Mr. Darion John-King look on from the left while St. Kitts and Nevis Vector Control Officers look on from the right. (Photograph by Matt McMillan.)