Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions

Introduction Dengue continues to be a major public health concern in Malaysia, as evidenced by the significant surge in cumulative dengue case numbers and deaths in 2023 compared to the previous year. While previous studies have explored the interplay of abiotic and biotic factors of mosquito densit...

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Main Authors: Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen, Che Dom, Nazri, Pradhan, Biswajeet, Salleh, Siti Aekball, Dapari, Rahmat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science 2025
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/1/118639.pdf
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author Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen
Che Dom, Nazri
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Salleh, Siti Aekball
Dapari, Rahmat
author_facet Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen
Che Dom, Nazri
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Salleh, Siti Aekball
Dapari, Rahmat
author_sort Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Introduction Dengue continues to be a major public health concern in Malaysia, as evidenced by the significant surge in cumulative dengue case numbers and deaths in 2023 compared to the previous year. While previous studies have explored the interplay of abiotic and biotic factors of mosquito density and dengue cases on a local scale in Malaysia, there is a notable gap in the research focusing on adult Aedes mosquito populations. Aims This study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge by investigating the association and time lags (TLs) between daily microclimate (DM), mosquito indices (MIs), and dengue cases at the residence level. Methods In this longitudinal study, field data were collected over 26 weeks using data loggers, gravid oviposit sticky (GOS) traps, and non-structural 1 (NS1) test kits in both non-dengue hotspot (NDH) and dengue hotspots (DH). The collected data encompassed DM variables, vegetation cover (VC), MIs, and number of dengue cases. An autocorrelation analysis was conducted to determine the TLs between MIs and their preceding values, while a cross-correlation analysis revealed the TLs between MIs and DM variables. Results The study indicated there are positive correlations between the adult index (AI) of Ae. albopictus, their preceding values and rainfall at an NDH. Conversely, the AIs of total Aedes at the DH exhibited positive correlations with their preceding values, temperature, rainfall, and maximum relative humidity (RH), but negative correlations with the mean and maximum RH. The dengue-positive trap index (DPTI) of total Aedes at DHs demonstrated positive associations with their preceding values, mean temperature, minimum temperature, maximum RH, and rainfall, with negative correlations observed for the maximum temperature, mean RH, and minimum RH. Similar trends were identified for the Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus at DHs. The association between dengue cases, DM, and MIs was inconclusive due to underreported cases. Conclusions This study highlighted the DM and TLs of dengue virus-infected and non-infected adult female Aedes mosquitoes using onsite data collection. Furthermore, this study presents a replicable methodology that can be adopted by researchers worldwide for investigating the dynamics of dengue transmission in similar settings. The findings offer valuable insights for decision-makers, providing them with evidence-based information to implement targeted interventions and strategies aimed at controlling Aedes mosquito populations and mitigating the spread of dengue virus infections.
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spelling upm-1186392025-07-21T03:04:14Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/ Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen Che Dom, Nazri Pradhan, Biswajeet Salleh, Siti Aekball Dapari, Rahmat Introduction Dengue continues to be a major public health concern in Malaysia, as evidenced by the significant surge in cumulative dengue case numbers and deaths in 2023 compared to the previous year. While previous studies have explored the interplay of abiotic and biotic factors of mosquito density and dengue cases on a local scale in Malaysia, there is a notable gap in the research focusing on adult Aedes mosquito populations. Aims This study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge by investigating the association and time lags (TLs) between daily microclimate (DM), mosquito indices (MIs), and dengue cases at the residence level. Methods In this longitudinal study, field data were collected over 26 weeks using data loggers, gravid oviposit sticky (GOS) traps, and non-structural 1 (NS1) test kits in both non-dengue hotspot (NDH) and dengue hotspots (DH). The collected data encompassed DM variables, vegetation cover (VC), MIs, and number of dengue cases. An autocorrelation analysis was conducted to determine the TLs between MIs and their preceding values, while a cross-correlation analysis revealed the TLs between MIs and DM variables. Results The study indicated there are positive correlations between the adult index (AI) of Ae. albopictus, their preceding values and rainfall at an NDH. Conversely, the AIs of total Aedes at the DH exhibited positive correlations with their preceding values, temperature, rainfall, and maximum relative humidity (RH), but negative correlations with the mean and maximum RH. The dengue-positive trap index (DPTI) of total Aedes at DHs demonstrated positive associations with their preceding values, mean temperature, minimum temperature, maximum RH, and rainfall, with negative correlations observed for the maximum temperature, mean RH, and minimum RH. Similar trends were identified for the Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus at DHs. The association between dengue cases, DM, and MIs was inconclusive due to underreported cases. Conclusions This study highlighted the DM and TLs of dengue virus-infected and non-infected adult female Aedes mosquitoes using onsite data collection. Furthermore, this study presents a replicable methodology that can be adopted by researchers worldwide for investigating the dynamics of dengue transmission in similar settings. The findings offer valuable insights for decision-makers, providing them with evidence-based information to implement targeted interventions and strategies aimed at controlling Aedes mosquito populations and mitigating the spread of dengue virus infections. Public Library of Science 2025 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_4 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/1/118639.pdf Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen and Che Dom, Nazri and Pradhan, Biswajeet and Salleh, Siti Aekball and Dapari, Rahmat (2025) Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions. PLoS ONE, 20. art. no. e0316564. pp. 1-22. ISSN 1932-6203 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0316564 10.1371/journal.pone.0316564
spellingShingle Mohd Hardy Abdullah, Nur Athen
Che Dom, Nazri
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Salleh, Siti Aekball
Dapari, Rahmat
Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title_full Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title_fullStr Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title_full_unstemmed Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title_short Temporal associations between microclimate, adult Aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in Malaysia: Implications for targeted interventions
title_sort temporal associations between microclimate, adult aedes mosquito indices, and dengue cases at the residence level in malaysia: implications for targeted interventions
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118639/1/118639.pdf