Distribution and abundance of dry season indoor mosquitoes in a tropical rural community

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin

2 Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike

Abstract

Mosquitoes have a world-wide distribution occurring mostly in sub-Saharan Africa where they cause considerable annoyance due to their bites also an important disease vector. The study was undertaken within a six week period in Asa-Obingwu a rural community, in Abia State South eastern Nigeria, to identify the different mosquito vector species and to determine the level of vector host association using blood meal status. In determining the distribution and abundance of mosquito in the study areas, indoor residual spraying using pyrethrum was adopted. The entire Knock down mosquitoes were collected and preserved in labeled bottles accordingly. The mosquitoes were there after identified to species level using dissecting microscope. The results showed that out of 613 mosquito knocked down during the study, 485 (79.1 %) were Anopheles specie, 77 (12.6%) were Aedes specie while 51(8.3 %) were Culex specie.The meal status of the different species encountered showed that Anopheles specie were more fed 324(66.8%) followed by Culex 19 (37.3%) and the least was Aedes 9(11.7 %)specie. These results were significantly different (P<0.05). The average indoor resting density showed that 4 anopheles mosquitoes were found in every house per night as compared to Culex (0.4) and Aedes (0.6) these findings were attributed to the presence of water bodies around the residential areas which were good breeding sites for the vector. The inhabitants were mostly individuals with poor knowledge of malaria transmission and control. It is therefore advocated that government intensify efforts at educating the rural populace on the dangers posed by the presence of the vector.

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