Dr. Steffen Knoblauch Develops High-Resolution Mosquito Suitability Map to Enhance Vector Control in Rio de Janeiro

Dr. Steffen Knoblauch Develops High-Resolution Mosquito Suitability Map to Enhance Vector Control in Rio de Janeiro

(IN BRIEF) Dr. Steffen Knoblauch from Heidelberg University has developed a high-resolution environmental suitability map for the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Rio de Janeiro, using geospatial big data such as satellite imagery and climate data. The map, which models 79 environmental indicators, offers a precise tool for improving vector control strategies against diseases like dengue and Zika. This breakthrough approach, combining geospatial data with entomological monitoring, enables targeted interventions, predicting mosquito breeding sites with greater accuracy than traditional methods. The study, funded by the German Research Foundation and the Austrian Science Fund, was published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

(PRESS RELEASE) HEIDELBERG, 6-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Dr. Steffen Knoblauch, a geoinformation scientist at Heidelberg University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) and HeiGIT (Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology), has developed an advanced environmental suitability map for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aimed at enhancing strategies for controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The high-resolution map leverages geospatial big data methods, incorporating openly available geodata, such as satellite imagery, street view images, and climate data, to identify areas most conducive to mosquito breeding.

Seasonal suitability maps for Aedes aegypti eggs in 200m resolution covering the urbanized area of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) for 2019. | © S. Knoblauch et al. (2025). Urban Aedes aegypti suitability indicators: a study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Lancet Planetary Health, 9(4). (CC BY 4.0)

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary vector for diseases like dengue fever, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Known for breeding in stagnant water within artificial containers such as water tanks, discarded tires, and storm drains, its population is expanding due to global urbanization trends. With limited availability of vaccines for many of the diseases it transmits, effective vector control—through eliminating breeding sites and targeted insecticide spraying—remains one of the most reliable methods for reducing mosquito populations.

Dr. Knoblauch’s groundbreaking approach involves using openly available geospatial data to overcome the challenges of generating accurate, continuous mosquito suitability maps in heterogeneous urban environments. His research demonstrates that such data can model up to 75% of the spatial variation in field-collected entomological measurements in Rio de Janeiro. By employing Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) and spatio-temporal modeling, Dr. Knoblauch identified 79 environmental suitability indicators for Aedes aegypti, including breeding container density, urban morphology, and climate variables such as rainwater accumulation and urban heat island effects.

The resulting Aedes aegypti environmental suitability map is the first spatially continuous map at the habitat scale, offering critical insights for more precise vector control interventions in endemic urban areas. Dr. Knoblauch emphasizes, “This approach, combining geospatial data with entomological surveillance, provides a far more accurate prediction of mosquito breeding sites than traditional methods, enabling targeted interventions and more effective control strategies.”

The research was a collaborative effort involving teams from Heidelberg University, Heidelberg University Hospital, and various international contributors. The study was funded by the German Research Foundation and the Austrian Science Fund and was published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

Original publication

S. Knoblauch, R. T. Mukaratirwa, P. F. P. Pimenta, A. A. de A. Rocha, M. S. Yin, S. Randhawa, S. Lautenbach, A. Wilder-Smith, J. Rocklöv, O. J. Brady, F. Biljecki, P. Dambach, T. Jänisch, B. Resch, P. Haddawy, T. Bärnighausen, A. Zipf: Urban Aedes aegypti suitability indicators: a study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Lancet Planetary Health (16 April 2025)

Media Contact:

+49 6221 54-2311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de

SOURCE: Heidelberg University