KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (AFP) - The Aedes mosquito in Malaysia which carries the dengue virus has evolved into an extremely hardy insect, with its eggs surviving for up to six months without water, a report said Wednesday.
An entomologist specialising in mosquitoes from the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Abu Hassan Ahmad, said research showed that water was needed for the insect's eggs to be laid but they could then survive for months in dry conditions, the Star daily reported.
"Our lab tests have shown that the eggs can survive for four months and we are sure they can even last up to six months without a drop of water," Abu Hassan was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
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Malaysia is moving out of the dry southwest monsoon period into a wetter season and the scientist said this would see eggs being hatched.
"We have had a very long dry spell and in the last month we've had rain. With the onset of rain, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will find their way into water-logged areas," he said.
Abu Hassan said "fogging" -- the process of spraying insecticide to kill the mosquitoes -- killed the adult insects but not the eggs.
"The eggs are laid in tree crevices, drains and containers when water collects there. It is impossible to destroy the eggs totally," he said.
Separate studies by health and environment officials in eastern Sarawak state showed continuous fogging with the same chemical would result in the Aedes mosquito becoming resistant to the poison, said the newspaper.
Malaysia has been waging a campaign to stamp out the mosquito, with the latest reports saying 76 people have died from dengue so far this year, compared to 73 over the same period in 2004.
The country recorded a 17 percent increase in the number of suspected cases last week, with 1,201 reported compared to the 1,023 the week before.
The total number of suspected cases so far this year has spiked to 29,820, in comparison to 28,290 last year, when the highest-ever death toll of 102 was recorded.
Neighbouring Singapore is suffering its worst dengue fever outbreak on record, with the death toll reaching 13 this year and total cases approaching the 12,000 mark.
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