Ecology of Malaria Vectors in a Rainforest Suburban Community of Nigeria

Abstract

The ecology of malaria vectors in a suburban community of Umudioka,
Dunukofia Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State was studied
between May and July 2009. Umudioka is an agrarian community in the
rainforest zone of Nigeria and it is situated between longitude 6085´E and
Latitude 6010´N of Equator. Mosquito larvae were collected from ground
water pools, discarded old tyres and domestic water containers using ladles, bowls, sieves and specimen bottles. Indoor biting and resting adult
mosquitoes were collected from 30 houses using pyrethroid-based insecticide knockdown method (PKC). Discarded tyres yielded the highest number of mosquito larvae 204 (54.84%) but ground pool yielded the highest number of Anopheles mosquito larvae 117 (31.45%). Of 263 adults mosquitoes collected from inside houses, 243 (92.40%) were from houses with ceilings and 20 (7.60%) from houses without ceilings. Of the 3 mosquito species collected indoors, A. gambiae 156 (59.3%), had the highest number with a room density of 5.2 mosquitoes/room/night. Ground water pools sustained by streams, tap overflows and flooding due to heavy rainfall patterns of the area, were the most favourable breeding ground for malaria vectors in the area.

Key words: Malaria, Mosquito, Vectors, Ecology, Suburban, Community.