A critical review on the ecological determinants of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) vectorial capacity

Abstract

Dengue is a re-emerging infectious disease that infects more than 50 million people annually. Since there are no antiviral drugs or vaccine to disrupt transmission, the most recommended tool for reducing dengue epidemics is focused on intensify control efforts on its vector, the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. In order to better understand vector biology and its impact on disease transmission, a known concept in entomology and epidemiology is vectorial capacity, which refers to the ability of a mosquito to transmit a given pathogen. In this review, the parameters used for composing the vectorial capacity formulae were dissected one by one, with a critical point of view to their estimation and usefulness to medical entomology.