Research
Changes in vector species composition and current vector biology and behaviour will favour malaria elimination in Santa Isabel Province, Solomon Islands
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* Corresponding author: Robert D Cooper Bob.cooper@defence.gov.au
Malaria Journal 2011, 10:287 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-10-287
Survival rate formula assumes stable age structure
Olivier Johan Tavai Briet (2011-10-18 08:59) SWISS TPH
The authors use Davidson's formula (1954) to estimate the survival rate, which assumes that the mosquito population age structure is stable over the period of data collection. Since the data were collected for 10 nights in (only) one month, it is difficult to establish whether the population was approximately stable. If, for instance, the population was growing during the month surveyed, this would lead to underestimation of the survival rate. Even though there is little seasonality of rainfall in the area, the reported low survival rates should be interpreted with caution if there is no evidence that the population was stable.
Reference
Davidson, G. (1954) Estimation of the survival-rate of anopheline mosquitoes in nature. Nature, UK, 174, 792-793.
Competing interests
None declared
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