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The abundance of Anopheline mosquito species is the most common entomological measurement to determine the relationship between vectors and malaria incidence. We conducted an entomological survey to determine mosquito species diversity and abundance in relation to rainfall in Omi reservoir irrigation area, Nigeria. We collected adult mosquitoes from 10 randomly selected residential houses using Pyrethrum spray sheet and Human Landing Catch methods. We grouped the samples into irrigated (intervention) and non-irrigated (control) communities. During the 12-month sampling period, we collected a total of 4 285 mosquitoes belonging to 10 species in one family. The three most common species during this study were Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles funestus and Culex quinquefasciatus. Irrigated community has higher numbers of mosquitoes (69,4%) compared to those collected in non-irrigated community (32,0%). Comparing the two collection methods used, Pyrethrum spray sheet has a greater number 2 225(75,4%) of mosquitoes than those with Human Landing Catch method 724(24,6%). During dry season, we collected fewer mosquitoes. The lowest number was collected in February (114) and the highest occurring during the wet season in July (445).

Aim: This study was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of helminthes in cattle and treatment intervention strategy in Kachia Grazing Reserve (KGR). Materials and Methods:A total of 3,651 cattle from 88 households were randomly selected, sampled and examined . The sampling was spread over three (3) periods; Pre-intervention (1,609), Intervention (1,525) and Post-intervention (517). Both physical examination and laboratory investigation were employed in the study. Results:This study revealed the presence of different types of helminthes in the bovine population of the KGR which include the helminth eggs of Nematodes (Oesophagostomum radiatum, Bonustonum phlebotomum, Tricuris globulosa, Cooperia pectinita, Toxocara vitulorum, Strongiloides papillosus, Strogylus langamus), Cestodes (Moneizia benedeni) and Trematodes ( Schistosoma bovis, Paramphistomum cervi, Fasciola gigantica) at different intervention periods, where by 820 (53.77%) were positive for pre-intervention, 946 (58.79%) positive for intervention and 205 (39.65%) were positive for postintervention period. Among the eleven species of helminthes identified, P. cervi was the most prevalent in all the periods, followed by O. radiatum. The study also revealed that the cattle in the study area were infected with single and multiple infections. Furthermore, 498(32.66%), 585(36.36%) and 171(33.08%) of cattle for the pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention periods, respectively had single infection. However, 305 (20%), 381 (23.68%) and 37 (7.16%) of the cattle for the three periods, respectively harbored multiple infections (polyparasitism) caused by two to six different parasites. The results also show that age was a factor in the abundance of the parasites in the cattle as parasites were demonstrated more in adult cattle than the young stock (calves and yearlings). Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence during the three periods. Conclusion:The present study revealed that helminthes of cattle are common in KGR; hence there is a need for regular faecal examination and routine treatment of the herds instead of treating the individual cases.

Quite a number of diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes. The abundance and distribution of mosquito vectors are related to the characteristics of larval habitats. A survey of the distribution and abundance of mosquito larvae was carried out at Nkporo and Abiriba Communities of Ohafia, Abia State, Nigeria. It was carried out during the dry and wet seasons from November 2014 to June 2015. The mosquito larvae were collected using dipper and pipette method from five mosquito habitats namely ground pools (58), household containers (213), domestic run-offs (49), gutters (55) and tree holes/leaf axils (43). A total of 2 641 mosquito larvae belonging to three genera and five species were collected. These were; Culex quinquesfaciatus (40%),Aedes aegypti (22%), Aedes albopictus (17%), Anopheles gambiae (14%), and Anopheles funestus (2%), Household containers had the highest number of larvae (60 %), while tree holes/leaf axils had the least (6%). From Nkporo, 53% of the larvae were collected while 47% was from Abiriba community. Anopheles funestus was recorded only in Nkporo community.  However, the abundance of mosquito larvae sampled from the different habitats in the two communities were significantly different (X2 = 166,692, df = 16, P<0,05) from each other. There were also significant differences in the seasonal distribution of mosquito larvae in both dry (X2 = 56,865, df = 12, P<0,05) and wet (X2 = 22,241, df = 12, P<0,05) seasons in Nkporo community and dry (X2=31,776, df = 12, P<0,05) season in Abiriba community. These findings are useful in knowledge expansion on the vector ecology with particular interest on the type of habitat preference, this will be helpful in larval control programs.

Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, the country accounting for the highest devastation worldwide. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for diagnosis of malaria. A total of 443 suspected Plasmodium falciparum infected patients in hospitals in selected communities of Ezinihitte Local Government Area south eastern Nigeria between January and June 2014 were examined by using microscopy and RDTs. Thick and thin blood smears made on clean slides from venipuncture blood collected from febrile subjects have been examined for the presence of malarial parasites. Serological diagnosis was performed using Carestart, SD Bioline and Antec kits. The overall prevalence of the three RDTs were Carestart pf (41.8%), SD Bioline pf (52.8%), and Antec pf/pv (25.3%) as against microscopy the standard (44.9%). The varied prevalence observed from the three kits did not differ statistically (p>0.05).The females appeared to have more infected (42.4%) than the males (39.6%) with no significant difference between the diagnostic methods. The overall sensitivities of Carestart pf, SD Bioline pf and Antec pf/pv were 71.9%, 86.9% and 50.8% respectively while their corresponding specificities were 82.8%, 75.0%, and 95.5% respectively. SD Bioline HRP2 based test demonstrated a superior sensitivity compared to microscopy. Some RDTS can be useful alternatives to microscopy in the diagnosis of P. falciparum especially in resource limited communities.