Karnataka has reported around 24,028 dengue cases and five deaths due to the disease. To tackle this outbreak, the state’s health department began a new project on August 26, 2024. This project involves using special traps called Ovitrap baskets to attract and monitor mosquitoes.

What Are Ovitrap Baskets?

Ovitrap baskets are designed to attract mosquitoes that like to breed in small containers, such as the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are known carriers of diseases like dengue. The baskets are dark-colored containers filled with water and have a surface where female mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Inside the basket, there’s also a mesh to prevent mosquitoes from escaping, and sometimes, the baskets are treated with insecticides to kill the mosquitoes that enter.

How Do Ovitrap Baskets Work?

The main goal of using Ovitrap baskets is to monitor mosquito populations. When a female mosquito lays her eggs in the basket, the eggs fall into the water. Health officials can then check these baskets to see if mosquitoes are breeding in the area. By regularly monitoring the Ovitrap baskets, officials can quickly identify areas where there are a lot of mosquitoes and take action to prevent a dengue outbreak.

Ovitraps have been effective worldwide in keeping track of mosquito populations. Research shows that these traps can detect where mosquitoes are and how many there are. There are also more advanced versions of these traps, called lethal Ovitraps, which not only attract mosquitoes but also kill them. In some studies, these lethal traps reduced the number of Aedes mosquitoes by up to 87%.

Global Use of Ovitrap Baskets

Ovitrap baskets have been used in various countries to control mosquito populations and prevent dengue outbreaks. For example, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia regularly use these traps to monitor mosquitoes. In Indonesia, Ovitraps made with copper have been effective in killing mosquito larvae, and in Taiwan, data from these traps have been used to manage dengue outbreaks. The Philippines saw a significant drop in dengue cases—by 97%—after using Ovitrap baskets treated with substances that kill mosquito larvae.

Ovitraps in India

In India, Ovitrap baskets have been used successfully in Assam to monitor Aedes mosquitoes. Research in the Sonitpur district showed that these traps are good at identifying areas where the risk of dengue is high. This helps health officials create more targeted strategies for controlling mosquitoes and preventing the spread of dengue.