Cage and experimental house trials to optimize the design of dried attractive bait stations for the control of Aedes aegypti

Dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, all transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, present a significant and growing global health challenge. Contact-based insecticide such as pyrethroids, organophosphates, and organochlorines, are a core component of strategies to control Ae. aegypti. However, reliance on these chemical insecticides alone presents long-term challenges, particularly around increasing insecticide resistance. There are relatively few novel tools available that target adult mosquitoes through alternative mechanisms. Innovative, complementary approaches that can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of existing mosquito control programs are urgently needed. Newly explored vector management tools are attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs), targeting the sugar-feeding behavior of both male and female mosquitoes, and allow for an ingested insecticide. Dried Attractive Bait Stations (DABS), a novel variant of ATSBs, have shown promising results for indoor Ae. aegypti control. We conducted cage and experimental house trials of DABS on laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in Ponce, Puerto Rico. In cage trials, both male and female Ae. Aegypti that were exposed to DABS for 48 hours experienced near complete mortality, while control groups showed universal survival. All tested concentrations (1%, 2%, and 4% boric acid compounds) significantly reduced survival compared to controls (p < 0.001), with no significant differences between concentrations (p = 0.50). Water availability reduced DABS efficacy, lowering mortality by 47% in females (p < 0.001) and 32% in males (p < 0.001). In experimental house trials, DABS reduced mosquito survival by [~]75% (p < 0.001), with deployment of four DABS devices per room suggesting the greatest reduction in mosquito survival (p = 0.06-0.10). Optimal performance was observed at placing DABS 0.75 m above the floor (p < 0.001) and results suggest that medium-sized DABS may be more effective than larger (p = 0.09). Natural light increased mosquito survival (p = 0.028), but its interaction with DABS treatment was not significant (p = 0.322) and room-to-room variability was minimal. A notable limitation was the interference of ants during household trials, which led to the removal of mosquito carcasses and potential data loss, highlighting the need to further investigate alternative sugar sources and DABS interaction with non-target organisms. Despite these challenges, the results support DABS as a promising, scalable Aedes aegypti control tool. Future research should confirm effectiveness under varied field conditions, and assess the community acceptability for broader deployment.