## Vector Identification **Key Point:** Aedes aegypti is the principal vector for both dengue and chikungunya viruses in urban and periurban settings across India and Southeast Asia. ### Characteristics of Aedes aegypti - **Morphology:** Small, dark mosquito with white markings (lyre-shaped pattern on thorax, white bands on legs) - **Breeding:** Prefers clean, stagnant water in artificial containers (flower pots, discarded tyres, water tanks, coconut shells) - **Biting behaviour:** Diurnal (daytime) feeder; anthropophilic (prefers human hosts); indoor and outdoor biting - **Habitat:** Highly adapted to human habitats; found in houses, schools, hospitals ### Comparison with Other Vectors | Mosquito | Vector for | Habitat | Biting Pattern | |----------|-----------|---------|----------------| | **Aedes aegypti** | Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, Yellow fever | Urban/periurban, artificial containers | Diurnal, anthropophilic | | Anopheles stephensi | Malaria (urban malaria) | Brackish water, wells, tanks | Nocturnal | | Culex quinquefasciatus | Japanese encephalitis, Filariasis | Polluted water, drains | Nocturnal | | Mansonia uniformis | Japanese encephalitis | Aquatic vegetation | Nocturnal | **High-Yield:** Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) is a secondary vector for dengue and chikungunya, found in periurban and rural areas with cooler climates; it has white stripes on legs and body. **Clinical Pearl:** The daytime biting habit of Aedes aegypti makes it difficult to control with bed nets alone, necessitating source reduction (eliminating breeding sites) as the primary prevention strategy.
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