Mosquito fauna of a tropical museum and zoological garden complex

Abstract

The mosquito fauna of Museum and Zoological Garden Complex (JZC), a major tourist attraction in Jos Metropolis of Nigeria, was studied The choice of the complex was out of public health curiosity. A total of 627 mosquitoes comprising 4 genera, Aedes, Culex, Coquilletidia and Eretmapodites, and 9 species were caught n two d fferent study trips. Five species, namely, Aedes aegypti, A. africanus, A. vittatus, Culex quinquefasciatus and Eretmapodites chrysogaster, caught by human bait method are known variously to be involved in the transmission of yellow fever and other viral diseases. Culex quinquefasciatus had the highest frequency followed by Aedes aegypti. Simpson's dominance and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices of 0.4942 and 0.4550 were respect vely recorded for the whole mosquitoes sampled by the human bait method. C. quinqefasciatus was the most frequent species with diversity values of 0.4444 (Simpson's) and 0.1174 (Shannon-Wiener), followed by A. aegypti with 0 0455 (Simpson's) and 0.1431 (Shannon-Wiener). Ecological statistics demonstrated a highly significant dif erence in diversity between samples in March, during the dry season, and June in the rainy season (P < 0.001). The presence of man-biting mosquitoes in JZC constitutes apparent public health danger and calls for regular surveillance and control operations on such disease vectors in the complex.

A cross sectional study of dengue virus infection in febrile patients presumptively diagnosed of malaria in Maiduguri and Jos plateau, Nigeria

“…With demographic changes and observed increase in Aedes spp . populations in our environment30, increased dengue transmission is likely to occur in many parts of Africa.…”

Influence of Meteorological Variables on Diversity and Abundance of Mosquito Vectors in Two Livestock Farms in Ibadan, Nigeria: Public Health Implications

“…All these reflect the activities of several competent mosquito vectors, capable of transmitting arboviral infections from reservoirs to other host in the country, some of these mosquito vectors have been implicated following past arbovirus epidemics ( Lee and Moore, 1972 ; Nasidi et al, 1989 ; Onyido et al, 2009 ). Entomological surveys have documented the presence of many mosquito species in Nigeria ( Boorman and Service, 1960 ; Okogun et al, 2005; Onyido et al, 2008 ; Mgbemena and Ebe, 2012 ). However, there are few studies that specifically target the mosquito species in livestock farms, which are wildlife-livestock-human interface areas where vectors can make contact with reservoirs before urban transmission of arboviruses occur.…”

Surveillance Studies Of Aedes Stegomyia Mosquitoes In Three Ecological Locations Of Enugu, South-Eastern Nigeria.

“…CDC ovitraps consisted essentially of black jam jars that are but mimics of receptacles where the mosquitoes breed. The large population of A.aegypti does not only reveal its high capacity as a receptacle breeder (11) but intense breeding of this species within the study environment. Also among the Aedes Stegomyia subgenus, some are forest canopy breeders (1,2,13) while Aedes aegypti is a well-known ground breeder in household receptacles (17), hence the high population of the species in CDC ovitraps placed at ground level.…”

“…Members of the Aedes stegomyia subgenus are receptacle breeders. They breed in small water containers including tree holes, tin cans, tyres and discarded or broken household utensils (1,11,16). CDC ovitraps consisted essentially of black jam jars that are but mimics of receptacles where the mosquitoes breed.…”

“…These aedes mosquitoes normally breed in transient water collections such as waters in tree holes, or in plant leaf axils, bamboo stumps, rock pools, and artificial containers including tin cans, coconut shells, water storage containers, discarded vehicle tyres, broken earthen and ceramic wares, as well as other water containers around houses (9,10,11). Nwoke and Nwoke (12) observed that the habit of littering the environment with discarded containers among urban dwellers provides good breeding sites for these mosquitoes.…”