Zachary J. Madewell, Sandra Kiplagat, India Kellum, Matthew Lozier, Olga Lorenzi, Janice Perez-Padilla, Freddy A. Medina, Jorge L. Muñoz-Jordán, Laura E. Adams, Gabriela Paz-Bailey, Stephen H. Waterman, Roberto Barrera, Tyler M. Sharp
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes drive arboviral outbreaks in tropical regions. Zika virus (ZIKV), linked to congenital and neurologic complications, caused a major outbreak in Puerto Rico, USA, in 2016, infecting ≈26% of the population. Autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGOs), pesticide-free devices targeting gravid Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, have been shown to reduce transmission of another arbovirus, chikungunya. During March-May 2017, we conducted a household-based serosurvey in 4 demographically similar communities in southeastern Puerto Rico, 2 with long-term AGO deployment (≈85% coverage) and 2 without, to assess effects of AGOs on ZIKV transmission. Among 271 participants >5 years of age, ZIKV seroprevalence was much lower in intervention than nonintervention communities (9.6% vs. 20.0%). Protective effects were strongest among older adults, larger households (>4 persons), and persons spending more time at home. Although study design and measurement limitations could limit generalizability of results, our findings support AGOs as sustainable nonchemical tools for reducing ZIKV infections.