Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental determinants of dengue vectors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Dengue fever, one of the most widespread vector-borne diseases globally, is mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. In Cambodia, dengue has been a recurrent public health challenge, with major outbreaks occurring in 1995, 2007, 2012, and 2019. The latter epidemic severely impacted the capital, Phnom Penh, yet the spatial and temporal dynamics of the two key vector species had not been studied in this urban context. This study aimed to investigate how the distribution of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus is organized in the urban and peri-urban landscapes of Phnom Penh. Ovitraps were deployed every two months over a year in 40 pagodas randomly selected across Phnom Penh, chosen to ensure future replicability of the study. The larvae collected were reared to adulthood for accurate species identification. High-resolution satellite imagery (SPOT7) and daily rainfall data were used to analyze the surrounding environments through remote sensing techniques. The results revealed distinct spatio-temporal patterns for each species: Ae. albopictus was associated with peri-urban areas rich in vegetation and water, while Ae. aegypti predominated in highly urbanized and construction-dense environments. Spatial analysis using buffer zones (250 m, 500 m, 1000 m) around trapping sites confirmed that the use of pagodas as proxies for urban sampling is effective. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring these vector species, particularly as Phnom Penh continues to undergo rapid environmental transformation. The identification of simple, remotely sensed environmental indicators offer a valuable tool for predicting future outbreaks and guiding targeted vector control strategies. This study also provides a replicable methodological framework to assess the impact of urbanization and climate change on dengue vector distribution in Phnom Penh and similar urban settings.