67
南太平洋海域調査研究報告 No.54（2014年12月）
OCCASIONAL PAPERS No.54（December 2014）

Mosquito Borne Diseases in Ambon Municipality
NINDATU Maria1 and LEATEMIA J. Audrey2
1: Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Pattimura University
2: Faculty of Agriculture, Pattimura University

Abstract
Mosquitoes are very dominant vectors of common diseases in tropical region including Ambon
Municipality, Indonesia. Three genera of mosquitoes namely Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex transmitted
malaria, dengue fever, and lymphatic filariasis, respectively. Breeding sites of Anopheles and Culex areusually outdoors in dirty water such as drainage, gutters, and swamps, while that of Aedes is indoors inclean water such as flower vase, tubs, and opened water drum. Annual Parasite Incidence (API), which isnumber of cases per a thousand populations, is used to determine malaria cases in Ambon Municipality.
The highest API of 6.54 was in Nusaniwe District in 2012, while that of 5.92 was in Teluk Ambon-Baguala
District in 2013. Number of cases of dengue fever increased in the last three years. Since 2011, there are 8
cases of lymphatic filariasis in Ambon Municipality. Methods that are commonly used to control the vectors
are source reduction as well as larval and adult controls. Surveillance was generally done by observing only
the presence or absence of larvae in their breeding sites. Intensive surveillance in terms of collection andidentification of the vectors as well as development of effective control methods are needed.
Keywords: dengue fever, lymphatic filariasis, malaria, mosquitoes

Introduction
Mosquitoes have been one of the most important insect pests in the history of humankind.
They are still significant as medical pests today, especially by vectoring organism that causesome diseases. In Ambon Municipality, three genera of mosquitoes namely Anopheles, Culex,
and Aedes causes many health problems since they transmit malaria, elephantiasis (lymphatic
filariasis), and dengue haemoraggic fever, respectively. Malaria is a diseases caused byunicellular blood-dwelling parasite of genus Plasmodium. ARYANTI et al. (2006) stated that
Eastern Indonesia including Ambon Municipality is the region with heavy malaria distribution.
Dengue haemorragic fever is caused by virus carried by several species of mosquitoes, ofwhich Aedes aegypti is the main vector. Elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis) is caused bynematode worms of genus Filaria transmitted by several species of mosquitoes including
Culex spp. and Anopheles spp.

68
NINDATU Maria and LEATEMIA J. Audrey

Ambon Municipality is an administrative area of 377 km2 in Ambon Island which is acapital of Maluku Province. Ambon Municipality consists of five districts, namely Nusaniwe,
Sirimau, Baguala, Teluk Ambon, and Letimur Selatan with 50 villages and/or kelurahan.
There are 22 community health centers that spread in these five districts. The total populationof Ambon Municipality in 2013 was 379,615 and it has the highest population density in theprovince by 1,007 people per km2 (BPS 2014).

VectorNumber of mosquito’s species as diseases vectors that had been reported in Indonesia
was more than 457 species in 18 genera and dominated by genus Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex
that consist of 287 species (SUWITO 2008).
HIZWANI (2004) reported that there were 20 species of Anopheles that transmit malaria in
Indonesia. Some species of Anopheles are also vector of elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis)(SYAHRIAL et al. 2005). Fifteen Anopheles species were found in Maluku (WEPSTER and
SWELLENGREBEL 1953) where 5 of them were found in Seram, Ambon, and Ternate, i.e.,
Anopheles subpictus in Seram, Ambon, and Ternate, A. parangensis, A. isulaeflorum, andA.vagus only in Seram and Ambon, and A. orientalis in Seram, while another 10 species weregenerally found in Maluku. SUKIRNO (1994) reported about 10 Anopheles species found inHalmahera, North Maluku where 4 out of them were vectors of malaria.
Aedes spp. as vectors of dengue haemorragic fever as well as e elephantiasis lephantiasis(lymphatic filariasis) were also found in Ambon. PAGAYA et al. (2005) reported that Aedes
aegypti was found indoors and A. albopictus were found outdoors in Waimahu Village,
Nusaniwe District, Ambon Municipality.
Culex is cosmopolitan genus of mosquitoes especially in warm region. Some species
transmit filariasis and encepalitis. In Ambon, larvae of Culex quinguifasciatus were often
found. Larvae of Culex spp. sometimes become a predator of larvae of Anopheles spp.

Habitat
Adult mosquitoes are differentiated by their long proboscis and scales along the wings
vein. Adults female feed on blood and are responsible for transmitting disease organism.
Adult males (and occasionally females) feed on nectar and other plant exudates. The
immature (larvae or wrigglers) are found in water, where most consume algae and organic
debris (PEDIGO 1998).

69
Mosquito Borne Diseases in Ambon Municipality

Members of genus Anopheles lay their eggs singly on the water surface. Most ofAnopheles larvae were found in dirty slowly running water. Breeding sites of Anophelidae
family is outdoors in water pool in grasses, swamps, mangrove areas (Fig. 1).
Members of genus Culex lay eggs in clusters as rafts on the water surface. In Ambon
Municipality, Culex larvae were found in outdoor dirty water such as in stagnant water ingutters and fishing boat (Fig. 1) and many stagnant water pools around houses.

(A)

(B)

(D)

(G)

(E)

(H)

(C)

(F)

(I)

Fig. 1. Habitats of mosquitoes; A-C: habitats of Anopheles spp., D-F: habitats of Culex spp., and G-I:
habitats of Aedes spp.

70
NINDATU Maria and LEATEMIA J. Audrey

Members of Aedes lay eggs in depressions, along high water lines and in almost any
container of rain water. These eggs lie dormant until flooded with water, after which theyhatch and wrigglers develop in the flooded area (PEDIGO 1998). PAGAYA et al. (2005) reported
that breeding sites of Aedes larvae were found both indoors and outdoors. Larvae of A.
aegypti were found in indoor clean water in water container such as in water dispenser,
bathroom, fresh water vase as well as in birdcage (Fig. 1). While A.albopictus larvae were
found outdoors in tree holes, banana stem, open coconut shell, and any used container
containing water.

Diseases Conditions
Malaria
Health Research and Development Institute, Indonesian Ministry of Health stated thatprevalence of malaria in Indonesia was 417,819 positive cases in 2012 and 70% was inEastern Indonesia including Maluku. Malaria is a dominant disease among the community in
Ambon Municipality and is measured using Annual Parasite Incidence (API) which is numberof positive cases of a thousand risk populations (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF AMBONMUNICIPALITY 2012, 2013). In general, average API in Ambon Municipality decreased from4.49 in 2012 to 4.15 in 2013 (Table 1), but there were increasing of API in two out of five
districts, i.e., Teluk Ambon Baguala and Letimur Selatan (Fig. 2). Besides that, all of API infive districts of Ambon Municipality in 2013 are still consider high since an indicator that a
region is free of malaria if it has an API below 1.00 per a thousand population and there is nomalaria cases in local population for three years in a row (Table 1).

Table 1. Number of malaria prevalence in Ambon Municipality in last two years.
No. District

Number ofcommunity
Total
health center population

2012

2013

Positive case

Positive case1
2
3

Nusaniwe
Sirimau
Baguala6
8
4

100,307
156,337
59,685Total
API
population
Male Female
168
167 3.34 103,423542
480 6.54 162,263
107
116 3.74
62,347

4

Teluk Ambon
Ambon Baguala 2
Teluk

42,918

40

31

1.65

44,618

49

19

1.52

5

Letimur Selatan
Total

10,493369,740

6
863

3
797

0.86

10,135
382,786

14
829

11
759

2.47

2
22

Average
4.49
Source : DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF AMBON MUNICIPALITY (2012, 2013).

API
Male Female
171
159 3.19404
392 4.91
191
178 5.92

4.15

71
Mosquito Borne Diseases in Ambon Municipality

2012

6.54

5.92

4.91

3.34

2013

3.74

3.19

2.47

1.65
1.52

Nusaniwe

Sirimau

0.86

Teluk Ambon - Teluk Ambon
BagualaLetimur
SelatanFig. 2. Annual Parasite Incidences (API) in five districts of Ambon Municipality in the last two years.
Table 2. Plasmodium species causing malaria in Ambon Municipality
in the last two years.
No.
1
2
3
4
5

Species
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium ovale
Mix2012 (%)
99.4
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.2

2013 (%)
98.7
0.9
0.2
0.0
0.2

Source : DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF AMBON MUNICIPALITY (2012, 2013).

In Indonesia Plasmodium species that cause malaria are P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale,
P. malariae, and P. knowlensi. In Ambon Municipality 99% of malaria cases was caused by P.
vivax both in 2012 and 2013 (Table 2) and Anopheles subpictus was the dominant species as
major vector of P. vivax (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF AMBON MUNICIPALITY 2013).
The endemic zone of malaria in Eastern Indonesia spread in 84 regencies/municipalities
including Ambon Municipality (INDONESIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH 2013). Efforts to control
malaria have been done around the world. World Health Organization (WHO) set a global
malaria day on April 25. Declaration “toward malaria-free Indonesia” had been done byIndonesia President on 2008 and publication of the decree of Indonesian Health Ministry no
293/MENKES/SK/IV/2009 dated 28 April 2009 regarding elimination of malaria in Indonesia.
Elimination of malaria is expected to be done in Java, Bali, Riau, and Aceh in 2015; in
Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Nusa Tenggara Barat in 2020. Elimination of malaria in
Papua Barat, Maluku, Maluku Utara, and Nusa Tenggara Timur are expected to be done in 2030
and at the same time Indonesia is targeted to be malaria-free (INDONESIAN MINISTRY OF
HEALTH 2013). Many challenges faced in efforts to eliminate malaria especially in islands
including Maluku Province, such as remote areas that are difficult to reach, there is noeffective cure as well as resistant to some antimalarial drugs.

72
NINDATU Maria and LEATEMIA J. Audrey

Elephantiasis (Lymphatic Filariasis)
Elephantiasis(Lymphatic
Filariasis)
Elephantiasis(Lymphatic
Filariasis)
Elephantiasis(Lymphatic
Filariasis)
There were 8 cases of elephantiasis in Ambon Municipality in 2
8 of
cases
of elephantiasis
in AmbonMunicipality
2011
where
4 werewere
8elephantiasis
cases
of elephantiasis
in AmbonMunicipality
in 2011
where
4 wereThere There
were There
8were
cases
in AmbonMunicipality
in 2011in where
4 werechronic patients and 4 were new patients. Most of the patients (87.5%) arpatients
and 4newwere
new patients.
of theofpatients(87.5%)are inare
Sirimau
District
chronic
and4patients.
were
newpatients.
thepatients
in Sirimau
District
chronicchronic
patients
andpatients
4 wereMostofMostthe Most
patients(87.5%)are (87.5%)
in Sirimau
District
and the rest are in Nusaniwe District. In 2012, there was no new case andare
Nusaniwe
District.
Inthere
2012,
there
was
new
case
and
2013
there
was 1was 1
andtheNusaniwe
restinareinDistrict.
Nusaniwe
District.
In was
2012,
was
no
new
caseinand
inwas
2013
and theandrestthearerestin
In 2012,nothere
newno
case
and
in 2013there
1 therenew case in Sirimau District (Table 3).
newinSirimau
District(Table3). 3).
newcase
in Sirimau
District(Tablenew casein caseSirimau
District(Table3).

Dengue Haemoraggic Fever (DHF)
Haemoraggic
FeverFever(DHF)
DengueHaemoraggic(DHF)
DengueDengue
Haemoraggic
Fever (DHF)
Dengue haemorragic fever incidence in Ambon Municipality increa
haemorragic
feverfever
incidencein AmbonMunicipality
increasedin theDenguehaemorragicin AmbonMunicipality
inlastthe threelast three
DengueDengue
haemorragic
fever incidence
inincidence
Ambon
Municipality
increasedinincreased
the last
three
years by 19 % and 37%, respectively. Most cases were in Sirimau D
yearsby
19by%37%,
37%,
respectively.
MostMost
casescasesin Sirimau
District,followed
by by
19and
% respectively.
and 37%,
respectively.
werein
Sirimau
District,
years by19years% andMost cases
wereinwereSirimau
District,followed
byfollowed
Nusaniwe, Teluk Ambon Baguala, and Leitimur Selatan districts. No inc
Nusaniwe,
TelukTeluk
Ambon
Baguala,and Leitimur
Selatandistricts.
No incidence
was reported
Nusaniwe,
Ambon
and
LeitimurSelatanNowas
incidence
was reported
Nusaniwe,
Teluk
Ambon
Baguala,andBaguala,
LeitimurSelatandistricts.
Nodistricts.
incidence
reportedin Teluk Ambon District (Table 4).
Teluk
Ambon
District(Table4). 4).
in Teluk
Ambon
District(Tablein TelukinAmbon
District(Table4).

Table 3. Elephantiasis incidence in Ambon Municipality in the last three years.
3. Elephantiasis
incidencein AmbonMunicipality
in threethe inlast
Table
3. Elephantiasis
incidencein AmbonMunicipality
thethreelast years.
three years.
Table 3.Table
Elephantiasis
incidencein AmbonMunicipality
inthe last
years.
2011
2012
2011
2012
2013
2011 2011 District
2012 2012Community
2013 2013Community
Cases
Cases
District
District District
Community
Community
Community
Community Community
Community
Community
Community
Community
health center
health center
Cases CasesCases
Cases CasesCases
Cases CasesCases
healthhealthcentercenter
healthhealthcentercenter
healthcentercenter health center
health center
health center
Nusaniwe
Latuhalat
1 health0
Nusaniwe
Nusaniwe
NusaniweChe

10
Latuhalat
100
LatuhalatLatuhalat
100
Rijali2-00
200
2- Air besar
00
Rijali Rijali Rijali
2 Sirimau
0
0
4
0
Kar
SirimauSirimau Sirimau
besar
4
0
KarangAir Besar
Air besar
4-Ch.M.Tiahahu
0Panjang
Karang1
Air besar
40Karang1Panjang
1 Panjang-10
Ch.M.Tiahahu
10Ch.M.Tiahahu
100
Ch.M.Tiahahu
1 Baguala
0
-0
0-0
0
0
0
Baguala 00
0
BagualaBaguala
0 Teluk0Ambon
00000 selatan
0
Ambon
000
Teluk Ambon
0 Leitimur
0
Teluk Teluk
Ambon
Baguala-00-00
selatan0
Selatan
Leitimurselatan000
LeitimurLeitimur
selatan
0 Total 000
8-00
Total Total Total
8 : DEPARTMENT- OF H
1 2012,8- EALTH 0OF AMBON
01
8 Source
01
MUNICIPALITY(2011,
2013).
: DEPARTMENT
OF H
EALTH
OF M
AMBON
MUNICIPALITY(2011,2013).
2012, 2012,2013).2013).
Source: OF
DEPARTMENTOF
HEALTHOF AMBON
M
UNICIPALITY(2011,
Source :Source
DEPARTMENTHEALTHOFAMBONUNICIPALITY(2011,
2012,

Table 4. Dengue haemorragic fever incidence in
4. Dengue
haemorragic
fever incidencein AmbonTable
4. Dengue
haemorragic
fever
in Municipality in the last three years.
Table 4.Table
Denguehaemorragic
fever
incidence
in incidence
Municipality
in threethe inlast
Ambon
Municipality
thethreelast years.
three years.
Ambon Ambon
Municipality
inthe last
years.
2011
2012
2013
No.2013
District2012
20132011 201120122011
20132012
Cases
Cases
Cases
No. District
No. District
No. District
Cases
Cases
Cases
Cases
Cases Cases
Cases
Cases
1 CasesNusaniwe8591Nusaniwe85 8 59 2 5 Sirimau
91
Nusaniwe891
Nusaniwe613
102Sirimau613 6 1310 313 10
2
Sirimau 6
102
Sirimau
Baguala20
43Baguala20 2 04 4 0 Teluk
43Baguala 2
4
BagualaAmbon
000
4 AmbonTeluk
00 0 00 5 0 Letimur
0
4
Teluk
Ambon
0 Selatan
4
Teluk
0
Ambon
Baguala01
3
5
Letimur
Selatan
01 0 13 Total
5
Letimur
Selatan
1 3
3
5
Letimur
Selatan016
1926
Total Total Total
1619 16 1926 Source
19 26 : D26
16
EPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF AMBON
3: DEPARTMENT
OF H
EALTH
OF AMBON
Source: OF
DEPARTMENTOF
HEALTH
OF
MBON
Source :Source
DEPARTMENTHEALTHOFAMBONUNICIPALITY
MA(2011, 2012, 2013).
MUNICIPALITY(2011,2013).
2012, 2012,2013).2013).
UNICIPALITY
M(2011,(2011,MUNICIPALITY
2012,

73
Mosquito Borne Diseases in Ambon Municipality

Integrated Approaches to Mosquitoes Control
Mosquitoes management that has been done so far are integrated approaches such assource reduction by elimination of mosquitoes habitats by sanitation of environment,chemical and biological control of larvae and adults, as well as prevention of mosquitoes bitesusing repellent and mosquitoes net. A program of environmental health, Ministry of HealthAmbon Municipality is sources reduction by draining, washing, and burying any watercontainers and water pools which are habitats of mosquitoes. This program is done byeducated community through environmental health extension.

Research toward Vectors Control
Research towards vectors control that had been done so far is general monitoring andsurveillance by determining the presence or absence of larvae in their habitats. Developmentof botanical insecticide as larvicide of Culex spp. and Aedes spp. by bioassay of crude seedextract of Barringtonia asiatica (Lecythidaceae) (PAGAYA et al. 2009, PELAMONIA et al. 2009).
Future research need to be done on intensive monitoring and surveillance by collection
and identification of vectors, efficacy of botanical insecticide (plant extracts) on larval in theirhabitats as well as genetic control of the vectors.

References
ARYANTI, B. M., EMAYANTI, T. M., PRINADI, I. K. and DEWI, R. M. 2006. Test of Antimalarialof Artemisia sp. against Plasmodium falciparum. Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy, 17(2):81-84 (in Indonesian).
BPS 2014. Kota Ambon dalam Angka [Ambon in Figures], 406 pp., Badan Pusat Statistik,Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia (in Indonesian).
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Diseases in Ambon Municipality in 2011, 28 pp., Department of Health of Ambon
Municipality, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia (in Indonesian).
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Municipality, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia (in Indonesian).

74
NINDATU Maria and LEATEMIA J. Audrey

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PELAMONIA, J., RUPILU, N., WATUGULY, T. and NINDATU, M. 2009. Bioinsecticide Effect ofEthanol Extract of Hutun (Barringtonia asiatica) Seeds against Anopheles maculatus(Diptera: Anophelidae). Molluca Medica Jurnal, 2(1): 73-81 (In Indonesian).
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