Abstract
Entomological surveys in urban areas are often biased by selecting houses or locations with known high vector densities. A sampling strategy was developed for Puntarenas, Costa Rica, using high-resolution satellite imagery. Grids from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer and a QuickBird classified land cover map were used to determine the optimal final grid area for surveys. A random sample (10% of cells) was selected, and sample suitability was assessed by comparing the mean percentage of tree cover between sample and total cells. Sample cells were used obtain entomological data from 581 locations: 26.3% of all locations positive for mosquito larvae were not households, they contained 29.5% of mosquito-positive habitats and 16% of
Aedes aegypti
pupae collected. Entomological indices for
Ae. aegypti
(pupae per person, Breteau index, container index, location index) were slightly lower when only household data were analyzed. High-resolution satellite imagery and geographical information systems appear useful for evaluating urban sites and randomly selecting locations for accurate entomological surveys.
