1. Exotic Mosquito Surveillance Program around Major Ports
Dr Satya Yadav
Regional Vector Coordinator, Dept. of Agriculture and Water Resources

2. Historical Prospective
The 1996 Prof. Nairn Review into Australia’s quarantine standard highlighted the ad hoc vector monitoring(VM) that was being conducted by AQIS.
Vector Monitoring Working Group (VMWQ) was created for nationally consistent VM practices.
Prof R. Russell Report 1998 (ext) and S. Russell Report 2004 (int) which included Defence sites

3. Objective
To monitor and control the mosquito population in the 400m radius of each port, thereby preventing importation and exportation of mosquitoes with disease vector capability.

4. International Obligations
World Health Organisation (WHO) and their International Health Regulations (IHR)
WHO IHR Annex - 5
A 400m radius around ports is to be kept free from mosquitoes capable of hosting human disease
Goals are to detect, reduce or eliminate sources from which infections may spread; improve sanitation; prevent dissemination of vectors

5. Diseases and the Health Perspective
A resurgence of infectious diseases has arisen due to many factors including:
- long-distance trade
- greater human travel
- environmental challenges like climate change
- unplanned urbanisation
- inappropriate use of pesticides
- human settlement near wetlands and forests
- social and political disruption

6. Mosquito Vector
Mozzies are responsible for more than one million deaths each year worldwide – that’s more than one hundred times the deaths caused by sharks, crocodiles and box jellyfish combined. Mosquitoes are best known for carrying malaria, a ‘vector-borne’ disease that around 3.4 billion people – or half of the world’s population – are at risk of contracting.

7. Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Diseases of Import Concern:
West Nile virus
Dengue Fever
Chikengunya
Japanese Encephalitis
Malaria
Filariasis
Diseases of Export Concern:
Australian Encephalitis (MVE and Kunijn)
Ross River
Barmah Forest Viruses and Yellow Fever

8. First Port Vector Monitoring Program The “Russell Report”
In 1998 Prof. Richard Russell (medical entomologist) visited first ports at the request of the AQIS Vector Monitoring Working Group.
Prof. Russell reviewed AQIS VM procedures, assigned risk profiles for each port and provided recommendations for vector monitoring.

9. Vulnerability & Receptivity
Risk categories were based upon port: Vulnerability: of the port for mosquito incursions (i.e. types of vessels arriving, their ports of origin and types of cargo) and; Receptivity: of the port for establishment of exotic species of concern (i.e. presence of suitable mosquito habitats and favourable environmental conditions)

10. The Risk Categories Category Risk Vulnerability Receptivity 1
Very High
High 2
Moderate 3 4
Low 5
Very Low

11. Australian Quarantine Ports and their Vector Introduction Risk

12. Seaports Risk Russell report found that overall:
Seaports have a much greater vulnerability and receptivity than airports
Ships carrying receptacles capable of holding water coming from Asia constitute the highest vulnerability risk
Australian Ports with drums, tyres,
machinery etc on or near wharves
constitute the highest receptivity

13. Airport Mosquito Control
Disinsection Program
All first porting aircraft must have either– disinsection agreement and/or be manually disinsected when landing in Australia
Provides security against mosquitoes being imported and exported by aircraft
Covers cabin and hold
Molecular assays are done to audit aircraft

14. Vector Monitoring Trapping Techniques

15. NSW Vector Monitoring
In total at 11 Locations

16. Trapping Techniques Why we do trapping?
Trapping is a backup defense against importations of exotic mosquitoes
Types of traps AQIS use:-
Adult Traps – Light (light+CO2) and BG Traps
Larval Traps – Sentinel Tyres
Egg Traps - Ovitraps

17. Light Trapping CO2 released into the breeze Diode emits light and heat
Fan sucks in the mosquitoes
Held in storage container

18. The BG-Sentinel: Biogents' mosquito trap
the BG-Sentinel is an excellent surveillance tool for mosquitoes in general.
mimics convection currents created by a human body.
employs attractive visual cues
releases artificial skin emanations through a large surface area.
can be used with or without CO2

19. Importance of Light Trapping
Why?
Indicates port receptivity
Records local species
May identify incursion
When?
Dependant on risk category:
Risk Cat. 1& 2 – 2 to 4 sites weekly
Risk Cat. 3, 4 & 5 – when required

20. Sentinel Tyre Traps Good traps for container breeders
Why?
Good traps for container breeders
Dark, sheltered interior, rapid aging of water
When?
Dependant on risk category:
Risk Cat. 1– 6 sites weekly
Risk Cat. 2 & 3 – 4 sites weekly
Risk Cat. 4 & sites weekly (>10°C)

21. Sentinel Tyre Traps
Tyres are favorite breeding places for container breeders
Tyres - <500mm dia., cloth ply, thin walled
50mm hole in wall
Attractive but risky to maintain

22. Ovi-traps
Why? They allow rapid reporting of an incursion of container breeding species, particularly Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus When? Dependant on risk category

23. Types of ovi-traps

24. Pathways Air January 2007 PowerPoint Template Aircraft Disinsection
Treated residually every 8 weeks or TOD
Random auditing of aircrafts by molecular assays
January 2007
PowerPoint Template

25. Pathways
Sea
Higher level of trapping and monitoring due to higher risk (more receptive & vulnerable)

26. Pathways – Sea freight cont
Illegal FFV’s

27. Pathways – Sea freight cont
Other vehicles etc
January 2007
PowerPoint Template

28. Pathways – Sea freight cont
Tarps on containers

29. Pathways – Sea freight cont
Yachts and tyres

30. Vector –Surveillance & Dipping

31. Surveillance Strategy for Vectors at First Ports
Requirements of Vector Program:
Surveillance: the detection, reduction or elimination of sources from which infection may spread
Remediation: maintenance of sanitation in and around the port

32. Ground Surveillance Why? Ensures port sanitation
Recommend remediation activities
Confirms highest risk sites are being monitored
When?
Dependant on risk category:
Risk Cat. 1 & 2 – Monthly (wet season) (November to April)
Risk Cat. 3 to 5 – Twice Yearly (November and March)

33. Old tyres

34. Pools of water on ground

35. Machinery parts

36. Ponds, marsh and swamp areas

37. Drains

38. Plants

39. Target Mosquito Species
Exotic target species are:
Aedes aegypti (where it does not naturally occur)
Aedes albopictus
Exotic Anopheles spp.
Other exotic species
Target species for export prevention are:
Aedes aegypti (endemic in North Queensland)
Aedes camptorhynchus
Aedes vigilax
Anopheles annulipes
Anopheles farauti
Culex annulirostris

40. Exotic detections at the boarder since the start of 2014
Airport Detections =40
Seaport Detections =03
Cargo/Surveillance Detections =04
Prior to last year average exotic detections per year were =5-6

41. Thank You