Urban Establishment of Aedes vittatus in Yucatan, Mexico

Aedes-borne arboviruses, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, remain persistent public health challenges across the Americas. While Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the principal vectors, the introduction of additional invasive species poses new threats to sustainable control. Aedes vittatus, widely distributed in Africa and Asia and implicated in arbovirus transmission, has recently expanded into Europe and the Caribbean. Here we report the first confirmed establishment of Ae. vittatus in mainland urban Americas, in Merida, Mexico. The recovery of larvae, pupae, and adults of both sexes, along with detections up to 15 km from the initial site, demonstrates a self-sustaining and dispersing population. Our findings emphasize the need to incorporate Ae. vittatus into national surveillance and control programs, strengthening preparedness against invasive Aedes across the Americas.