Seasonal abundance of dengue vectors in Manila, Republic of the Philippines.

The dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were surveyed within the city of Manila from August 1985 to July 1987. Survey techniques included ovitraps, indoor resting collections, Fay traps, and larval surveys. Aedes aegypti was the principal container breeder within the residential areas, while Ae. albopictus predominated in cemeteries. The ovitrap was very effective in detecting the presence of Ae. aegypti, but not in measuring population changes during the year. Indoor resting and Fay traps show a low population of Ae. aegypti from February through May, during the dry season, and higher populations from June through September, during the rainy season. The most common indoor containers holding larvae were flower vases, while metal or glass containers were the most common outdoors. Dengue transmission appears to be closely related to rainfall, with cases increasing about 2 months following the onset of the rainy season.