Run Catch® A Novel, Early Warning Adult Mosquito Trap for Rapid, Low Cost, Extensive Entomological Surveillance

Abstract

The collection of a representative number of adult mosquito samples in any relevant territorial unit at risk of disease and malaria is delayed due to the difficulty of acquiring a sufficient number of samples during a given time period by rapid trapping, extensive trapping, etc.; nevertheless, monitoring of adult mosquito populations is vital for subsequent speedy investigations of pathogenic entity. Lack of such timely information prevents implementation of pertinent strategies that are technically sound, viable, economically feasible and helpful to those seeking proper measures and prioritization for control purposes.

In recent years, new vector-borne diseases in many European countries and sporadic incidence of some local transmission of malaria after World War II draw attention to this neglected risk and necessitate implementation of intensive surveillance of vector mosquitoes. A rapid, easy and extensive early monitoring is the key intervention to detect infected mosquitoes by regular monitoring of the adult populations in a given territory. The relatively high cost of monitoring adult mosquito populations and the necessity of repeated sampling discourage this practice. Therefore, monitoring of adult mosquito populations must be low cost and this theme is prefixed in the development of Run Catch.

In many European countries, vast areas of wetlands exist during most of the year providing ideal habitats for the breeding of a number of mosquito species belonging to the genera, Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles. Adults of these mosquitoes besides being ferocious biters are potential vectors of disease organisms and have the capability of dispersing over vast areas from the breeding sites.

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