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Dry-season Mosquito Breeding Associated with Irrigation in the Northeast Kimberley Region of Western Australia: Potential Impact on Mosquito-borne Disease Transmission

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Abstract

Recent Ross River virus activity prior to the onset of the wet season in the Kimberley region of Western Australia points to an increased dry season mosquito-borne disease risk at Kununurra, compared to other Kimberley towns. This study describes a preliminary investigation into the role of the Ord River Irrigation Area at Kununurra in mosquito production during the dry season. Specifically, the study sought to determine whether the irrigation area has provided the opportunity for year-round breeding of arbovirus vector mosquitoes. A 10-day adult and larval mosquito sampling survey, in August 2003, revealed that mosquito breeding was occurring during the driest month of the year at Kununurra, supporting the hypothesis that mosquitoes can breed year-round. Importantly, significantly larger numbers and percentage of adult Culex annulirostris, an important disease vector in Australia, were collected within the irrigation area (44.6% of total catch) compared to nearby reference (nonirrigated) breeding sites (9.8%) (mean difference 76.2 per trap per night; 95% CI 38.6, 113.7; P <0.001). Larval Cx. annulirostris were also collected at several sites within the irrigation area, whereas none were collected at reference sites. These results indicate that mosquito breeding associated with anthropogenic environmental changes may be responsible for an increased health risk at the end of the dry season. Mosquito management needs to be given a high priority to ensure this potential health risk is not further exacerbated. Several control strategies to reduce breeding of disease vector mosquitoes are identified, primarily focusing on modification of breeding habitats and alteration of irrigation protocols.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Cheryl Johansen and Dr. Annette Broom from the Arbovirus Surveillance and Research Laboratory at the University of Western Australia for providing facilities and assistance for adult species identification, and some field equipment. Funding was primarily provided by the University of Western Australia. The Department of Health, Western Australia, provided some additional funding, the facilities for larval identification, and field equipment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Andrew Jardine, Jane Heyworth & Philip Weinstein

  2. Mosquito-Borne Disease Control Branch, Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Michael Lindsay

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  1. Andrew Jardine
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Correspondence to Andrew Jardine.

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Jardine, A., Lindsay, M., Heyworth, J. et al. Dry-season Mosquito Breeding Associated with Irrigation in the Northeast Kimberley Region of Western Australia: Potential Impact on Mosquito-borne Disease Transmission. EcoHealth 1, 387–398 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-004-0100-z

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