Parity rate of <i>Anopheles gambiae</i> in Buruku and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Anopheles mosquitoes are major vectors of malaria and play a major role in transmission of infections in humans. Older populations of  Anopheles mosquito are more likely to transmit malaria since they need to survive the time needed for the parasite to develop inside the  mosquito and to take at least two blood meals to transmit the disease, therefore will have higher parity rates. Hence, the study on parity  rate of  gambiae in Buruku and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State was carried out to determine their  physiological age and longevity. Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using CDC light traps, the traps were placed one indoor and  another outdoor in randomly selected houses for two consecutive nights, from June 2018 to May 2019. A total of 529 Anopheles gambiae  were dissected to determine their physiological age and longevity of which 280 (52.93%) were parous while nulliparous ones were 249  (47.07%). However, there was no 2 significant difference (χ = 0.3434, df = 1, P = 0.5579) in relation to the proportion of parous and  nulliparous mosquitoes. Katsina-Ala area had a higher number of parous mosquitoes 110 (57.29%) than Buruku area 170 (50.45%).  Nevertheless, 2 parity rate across the two Local Government Areas showed no significant difference (χ = 2.0347, df = 1, P = 0.1537). The results show that the nulliparous mosquitoes survive long enough to take at least one blood meal. Overall results showed that parity rate  in both dry and rainy season remained the same, indicating that malaria transmission across both seasons in the study area is also the  same and the chance for a person to be infected is equal and perennial. Control measures should therefore centre on education to  improve the proper use of Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and other protective measures to reduce human mosquito contact.