Abstract
Population dynamics of Aedes aegypti is investigated in eighteen towns of Karachi. The breeding stations were established and regularly visited each month. The stations of Orangi, Baldia, SITE, Liaquatabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Korangi and Shah Faisal Colony were surveyed from December 2009 through May 2010, stations of Lyari, Sadar, North Nazimabad, Gulberg, Kaemari and Bin Qasim were surveyed from June 2010 through November 2010 and stations of Jamshed town, N. Karachi, Landhi, Malir and Gadap were surveyed from December 2010 through May 2011. The population varied more amongst stations than months. However, in data set of survey carried out in Dec. 2010 through May 2011, the population varied more with months (seasonality) than with the stations. The Aedes population generally increased in humid summer months and remained low in dry months. Liaquatabad was worst hit town with alarmingly high population throughout the observation period; varying little between the months by (Max. / Min. factor of 1.086 only). Max / Min factor was maximum in Landhi town (16.67) as the population was quite low (2.0 ± 0.45) initially in winter month of Dec. 2010 which gradually increased to 33.4 ± 0.51) in summer month of May, 2011. The dengue vector population was maximally high in Liaquatabad in February 2010 (499.6 ± 6.92 larvae per 100 mL water) followed by 482.2 ± 13.24 larvae per 100 mL water in January 2010 and reaching the lowest in April 2010 (460.0 ± 6.58). Sadar was the least – affected area on mean population basis. These results appear to agree with the data reported in available literature.
