Florida Keys

Aedes aegypti in Florida  

Aedes aegypti are invasive mosquitoes, not native to the United States, which carry and spread harmful diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya. In recent years the Florida Keys have seen locally transmitted cases of dengue and travel-related cases of Zika. The local invasive Aedes aegypti makes up approximately 4% of the mosquito population in the Keys, but is responsible for virtually all the mosquito-borne disease transmission. 

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is an increasingly global threat, now living alongside half of the world’s population. After decades of effort, there is still no cure or specific treatment for many diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti, and public health agencies are trying to stop these devastating diseases at their common source: by controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito itself. 

Unfortunately, existing methods of controlling Aedes aegypti, such as spraying or fogging using chemical insecticides, have failed to prevent the spread of disease. This is partly because Aedes aegypti has developed resistance to insecticides, rendering many common chemicals less effective in controlling the mosquito, it is also an aggressive day-biter and thrives in urban environments. 

For more information about the Aedes aegypti mosquito, click here; and for a recently published study on the growing threat that Aedes aegypti is posing to a number of US communities, please click here. For more information on dengue in the US, click here. 

Events

FKMCD and Oxitec host Public Educational Webinars, providing opportunities for Florida Keys residents to learn about Oxitec’s technology and the FKMCD-Oxitec pilot project.  

Each 60-minute webinar starts with a presentation on a chosen topic followed by questions from attendees. The webinars are open to all.