Release of Chemosterilized Males for the Control of Anopheles Albimanus in El Salvador

Abstract

Data obtained in a sterile male release experiment in El Salvador against Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann were used to determine the absolute density of mosquitoes in the release area, the rates of growth of the population, the competitiveness of released males, the survival of the various stages of the mosquito, and the ability of the mosquitoes to transmit malaria. In the dry season, absolute densities of A. albimanus were low. The rates of growth of the population in the test area also were low throughout the year (0.4 ×–4.8 ×). Sterile males were as competitive as normal males in large cage studies but were less than fully efficient in mating with native females under natural field conditions. Rates of survival of immature stages (egg through pupae) of the mosquito ranged from 0.020 to 0.150; the estimated average daily survival of adult females ranged from 0.65 to 0.91. With these estimates, it was possible to construct models of population dynamics and vector capacity.