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In most of the 130 islands of French Polynesia, the stenotopic mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (the main local vector for the viruses causing dengue) and Aedes polynesiensis (the main local vector of Wuchereria bancrofti) share many breeding sites in water containers such as discarded cans, coconut shells, buckets and water-storage pots and drums. In addition to selective application of insecticides, non-polluting methods of controlling these mosquitoes have been evaluated during the last decade in two main ecological situations: (1) villages, where Aedes breeding sites are typically peridomestic; and (2) flooded burrows of land crabs, the major source of Ae. polynesiensis throughout the South Pacific region. Large-scale trials of biological control agents, such as mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis and Poecilia reticulata) and copepods (Mesocyclops aspericornis), and of integrated-control strategies have demonstrated the efficacy of certain techniques and control agents against the target Aedes populations in some village situations. Generally, mechanical methods (the use of layers of polystyrene beads against mosquito larvae and pupae, and screening against adult mosquitoes) were more efficient than use of the biological control agents. By integrating several methods of control, mosquito densities (as measured by human-bait collections and larval surveys) were reduced significantly compared with the results of concurrent sampling from untreated villages, and control remained effective for months after the interventions ceased. In land-crab burrows, the first attempts to control Aedes larvae used bacterial agents (Bacillus thuringiensis) and predatory copepods gave disappointing results. Mesocyclops aspericornis could be an effective control agent if the burrows were constantly flooded, but most burrows dry out and refill periodically, so copepod populations do not survive. As it proved difficult to reach all corners of the long sinuous burrows with any control agent, larvicidal (chlorpyrifos-methyl) baits were developed for foraging crabs to carry into their burrows. This novel technique proved to be effective and could become the method of choice for treating crab burrows. Further research is underway to find the optimum (biological or chemical) larvicidal ingredient for the crab bait. Despite the ecological and logistical challenges of controlling the Aedes vectors of the dengue viruses and W. bancrofti in so many scattered islands, the French Polynesian experience indicates that relatively simple methods can be integrated and applied effectively and economically. Operationally, however, success also depends on a strong political commitment and on at-risk communities that are sufficiently motivated to maintain a good level of Aedes control.

On Tereia Island, Rangiroa Atoll, 14,321 land crab burrows were treated with the copepod Mesocyclops aspericornis from January to June 1986, to control larvae of Aedes polynesiensis marks. In October 1987, the entire island of Tereia was retreated (17,300 burrows), and the neighboring island, Voisin, was left untreated as a control. From 5 to 15 mo after treatment, burrows with M. aspericornis contained an average of 2 Ae. polynesiensis immatures compared with 97 immatures from untreated burrows. Long-term larval control was successful in low-lying areas where burrows remained wet or were reflooded. Although there may have been other contributing factors, the major reason for lack of persistence of M. aspericornis in burrows over the entire island appeared to be poor resistance to desiccation. From all treated burrows in October 1987, M. aspericornis subsequently was found in 89.5, 39.1, and 24.1% of burrows sampled 5, 8, and 15 mo after treatment, respectively. The broad-scale results for Tereia indicated that there was no reduction of adult biting indices when compared with Voisin. Mark-release experiments on four occasions indicated that Ae. polynesiensis had a limited flight range and that the probability for interisland movement was low.

The authors assess of three decades of struggle against Bancroftian filariasis in French Polynesia. Wuchereria bancrofti var. pacifica, aperiodic filaria, and Aedes polynesiensis, mosquito with high parasitologic output, set up a cycle very well adapted to the Polynesian environment; after numerous tests, the chemoprophylaxis with diethylcarbamazine (3 mg/kg/half-year) of all the exposed population has been decided, in association with methods of vector-control (use of predatory crustaceans). However, the achievement of this strategy is impeded by economical contingencies and the endemic comes up again particularly in areas close to eradication. Entomological clues show a high transmission over the greater part of French Polynesia.