Background Dengue Fever (DF) is a viral disease primarily transmitted by Aedes (Ae.) aegypti mosquitoes. Outbreaks in Eastern Ethiopia were reported during 2014–2016. In May 2017, we investigated the first suspected DF outbreak from Kabridahar Town, Somali region (Eastern Ethiopia) to describe its magnitude, assess risk factors, and implement control measures. Methods Suspected DF cases were defined as acute febrile illness plus ≥2 symptoms (headache, fever, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, or hemorrhage) in Kabridahar District residents. All reported cases were identified through medical record review and active searches. Severe dengue was defined as DF with severe organ impairment, severe hemorrhage, or severe plasma leakage. We conducted a neighborhood-matched case-control study using a subset of suspected cases and conveniently-selected asymptomatic community controls and interviewed participants to collect demographic and risk factor data. We tested sera by RT-PCR to detect dengue virus (DENV) and identify serotypes. Entomologists conducted mosquito surveys at community households to identify species and estimate larval density using the house index (HI), container index (CI) and Breteau index (BI), with BI≥20 indicating high density. Results We identified 101 total cases from May 12–31, 2017, including five with severe dengue (one death). The attack rate (AR) was 17/10,000. Of 21 tested samples, 15 (72%) were DENV serotype 2 (DENV 2). In the case-control study with 50 cases and 100 controls, a lack of formal education (AOR [Adjusted Odds Ratio] = 4.2, 95% CI [Confidence Interval] 1.6–11.2) and open water containers near the home (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.2–7.5) were risk factors, while long-lasting insecticide treated-net (LLITN) usage (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.05–0.79) was protective. HI and BI were 66/136 (49%) and 147 per 100 homes (147%) respectively, with 151/167 (90%) adult mosquitoes identified as Ae. aegypti. Conclusion The epidemiologic, entomologic, and laboratory investigation confirmed a DF outbreak. Mosquito indices were far above safe thresholds, indicating inadequate vector control. We recommended improved vector surveillance and control programs, including best practices in preserving water and disposal of open containers to reduce Aedes mosquito density.
Tsetse flies (Glossina) are obligate bloodsucking medical and veterinary important vectors of trypanosome which causes African sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in live stocks. There are 31 Glossina species in Africa of which Glossina pallidipes, G. morsitans, G. fuscipes, G. tachinoides and G. longipennis are found in different regions of Ethiopia particularly, in Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, Oromia and Southern part of Ethiopia. The distribution of the genus Glossina is restricted to lowland rainforest and wooded savannah regions and not uniform but often patchy. The fly has a significant impact on human health and rural development, probably capable of transmitting pathogenic trypanosomes that affect humans and domestic animals. In advance to any tsetse control operation, surveys are required to identify which flies are present in the area and determine their distribution. Towards designing suitable control methods and monitoring of Tsetse flies, it is important to first understand the behavior of the fly. Though there are human Trypanosomiasis studies and reports in Ethiopia, there are no current evidences on the extent of the disease, vector distribution and the magnitude of the problem. Therefore this review provides some background information on the taxonomical distribution of tsetse flies, their unique way of reproduction, and how their ecological affinities, their distribution and population dynamics influence and dictate control efforts. The paper also discusses the vector importance and the different strategies for tsetse control. Recommendations and future research needs are also suggested based on the reviewed literature.
Coffee crop has been contributing a lion share to the Ethiopian economy. Despite of its economic significance, it suffers from many production constraints, of which arthropod pests influence both the yield and quality of coffee. The study was aimed to assess the prevalence of arthropod pests and indigenous management across two agro-climatic zones, in the Gedeo agroforestry systems. Twelve farmscapes were randomly selected from the two agro climatic zones. From each farmscape, samples were taken from traditional and improved coffee fields. On each site, two quadrats of 10 m × 20 m plots of coffee fields were sampled to assess the presence/absence of pests and / or damage symptoms, the number of pest arthropods and the damage level per coffee tree for determining the pest prevalence. The number of pests per plant was subjected to SPSS ver.20 statistical software, and the pair wise comparison was computed to compare each study sites. The result indicates that the three top prevalent coffee pests were coffee berry borer (H. hampei), coffee white stem borer (A. leuconotus), and Serpentine leaf minor (C. alertreuta). However, there is no significant difference on pest prevalence among the agroclimatic zones. Although disease incidence was very high across the study sites, the highest incidence was recorded in Gololcha kebele (82%), of Kochore district. In all cases the level of infestation was below standard, and coffee arthropod pests do not seem to be serious major problems responsible for the coffee production loss. Yet, we recommend multi seasonal and multi temporal data to arrive to the conclusion about the pest status of the study area.
During storage, maize grains are severely destroyed by insects and other pests. One of the most important causes of grain loss in stored maize is the damage caused by Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cereallela O. A study was conducted to evaluate selected locally available botanical powders and two cooking oils for their effectiveness as grain protectants against S. cereallela at Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in 2011. The plant powders and cooking oils were compared with untreated control and Malathion super dust as standard control. The experiment was laid-out in completely randomized design with three replications for each treatment. Different dependent variables such as adult mortality, F 1 progeny emergency and grain damage were assessed. The results revealed that there was an increase in adult mortality, decrease in F 1 progeny emergency and grain damage as a result of botanical powders and cooking oils application to maize grains. Among the botanicals, very low mortality of 27.80% was recorded from Maesa lanceolata (with LT 50 of 219.8 days) and Echinops kebericho (with LT 50 of 338.10 days) similar to the untreated control. Cumulative mortality of 39.00% was registered from Azadirachta indica bark powder (with LT 50 of 30.40 days) and Cympopogon citratus leaf (with LT 50 of 171 days) against Sitotroga cerealella 20 days after insect exposure to the botanicals. Maximum moths mortality, 94.4%, was recorded from standard control (Malathion) followed by the two cooking oils (77.8%). No F 1 progeny emerged from the grains treated with the two cooking oils similar to the standard chemical over the exposure period of 40 days leading to no seed with hole, minimum weight loss and maximum seed germination percentage (97.30%). Thus, the two cooking oils were found to be most potent bio-insecticides against maize grain moth on par with standard check, Malathion.
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