Observations on the breeding habitats of Aedes aegypti (L.) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

A one-year study was done of the breeding habitats of Aedes aegypti (L.) and of the water storage habits of the inhabitants in four crowded districts of urban Jakarta. Immature mosquitoes were found in or near houses in containers of relatively clean water used for drinking or bathing purposes. An average of 185 containers were found per 100 houses, of which 60 were positive for Aedes immatures, resulting in a Container Index of 32%. The mean potential water storage capacity per house was 173 liters of which only 92 liters of water was actually being stored at any one time. Water jars were the most common containers found, but bak mandi (cuboidal or oblong concrete reservoirs) held more water per container. Total water storage per house in bak mandi was twice that of water jars and ten times that of drums, which were uncommon. Ant traps and other miscellaneous containers were unimportant for either water storage or mosquito production. A mean of 0.93 pupae per house was found, pupal production indoors being ten times than outdoors. Indoor water jars produced more pupae per house than all other containers combined. The infestation rate of covered containers was significantly higher than that of uncovered containers, perhaps because loose-fitting lids allowed entrance of gravid females to the attractive darkened interior of the container.

Studies on filariasis in the Pacific. 4. The application of the membrane filter concentration technique to a survey of Wuchereria bancrofti filariasis in Kepu district, Jakarta, Indonesia.

A blood survey for filariasis was carried out in the Kepu District of Jakarta. Examination of stained 20 c.mm finger-prick blood thick films and membrane filter concentration (MFC) of 1 ml venous blood. The youngest age group examined, 5-9 years old revealed a mf rate of 17% of which 71% were of a low density character detected by MFC only. The mf rate appears to remain relatively constant from the 10-14 year old group onward, approximately 35%, but at all age groups at least half the infections were of low density. The highest mf rate and density was observed present in the 15-20 year old group.