Desiccation Tolerance of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Eggs of Northeastern Argentina Origin

Abstract

This study examines the desiccation tolerance of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus eggs, two major arbovirus vectors, in a subtropical region of Argentina to understand their survival under varying relative humidity (RH) conditions (35%, 68%, and 82%). Laboratory experiments revealed that Ae. aegypti eggs exhibited significantly higher survival rates across all RH levels and exposure times compared to Ae. albopictus. After 1 month, Ae. aegypti eggs maintained 88% survival at 35% RH, while Ae. albopictus survival dropped to 38%. This disparity was more pronounced at low RH, where Ae. albopictus eggs experienced a rapid decline in survival over time. The results highlight the importance of RH as a key factor influencing the persistence of both species in the environment. The coexistence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in Puerto Iguazú suggests that microhabitats with distinct humidity conditions may favor one species over the other. These findings provide crucial insights for predicting mosquito population dynamics under changing climate conditions and developing more effective vector control strategies to reduce arbovirus transmission in subtropical regions.