Spatial Heterogeneity and Seasonal Distribution of () (L) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Although the urban areas of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire have faced recurrent outbreaks of -borne arboviruses, the seasonal dynamics of local populations of the key vector remained still underexplored for an effective vector control. The current study thus assessed the seasonal dynamics and the spatial distribution of . in three neighborhoods of Abidjan city. eggs were collected using ovitraps in three different neighborhoods (Anoumambo, Bromakoté, and Petit-Bassam) during the four climatic seasons of Abidjan. egg samples were immersed into distilled water, and emerged larvae were reared until the adult stage for species morphological identification. Spatial autocorrelation was measured with the Moran's Index, and areas with high egg abundance were identified. In total, 3837 eggs were collected providing 1882 adult mosquitoes in the 3 neighborhoods. All the specimens belonged to only one species. . The average of 15.89 eggs per ovitrap, 13.67 eggs per ovitrap, and 19.87 eggs per ovitrap were obtained in Anoumambo, Bromakoté, and Petit-Bassam, respectively, with no statistical difference between the three sites. A higher abundance of . was observed during the long rainy season and the short dry season. The Moran analysis showed a clustered distribution of . eggs during the long rainy season in the three sites and a random spatial distribution during the short dry season. Ovitraps with high number of eggs were aggregated in the peripheral part (near to the lagoon) of Anoumambo and Petit-Bassam in central Bromakoté and extending along the railway during the long rainy season. This study revealed a heterogeneous potential risk of transmission of arbovirus according to neighborhood. It provided data to better understand ecology to select appropriate periods and places for vector control actions and surveillance of arboviruses in Abidjan.