Browsing by Author "Kaburiae, Josyline C."

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    Effects of long-lasting insecticidal nets and zooprophylaxis on mosquito feeding behaviour and density in Mwea, central Kenya
    (J Vector Borne Dis 46,, 2009-09) Kaburiae, Josyline C.; Githuto, Joyce N.; Muthamic, L.; Ngure, Peter Kamau; Mueke, Jones M.; Mwandawiro, Charles S.
    Background & objectives: Zooprophylaxis is a strategy that can control malaria by attracting mosquitoes to domestic animals that act as dead-end hosts. The objective of this study was to establish the effects of zooprophylaxis and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) on malaria transmission in an agro-based ecosystem with seasonal transmission. Methods: The mosquito samples were collected indoors using the space spray catch method before and after intervention between October 2005 and March 2006 to determine the mosquito densities and the feeding patterns of Anopheles spp in Mwea, Kenya. Results: A total of 4148 mosquito samples were collected, out of which 11 (0.2%) were tested positive for sporozoites. Ten were Anopheles gambiae species and one was An. funestus species. Results on blood meal ELISA showed that in the household categories that used bednets and kept one cow there was a decrease in relative change ratio (post-/pre-intervention) of 87.5 and 19.6% (p <0.05) in human and cattle blood intake respectively. For households that kept 2–4 cattle and used bednets, there was a decrease in cattle blood index (CBI) by 61.9% and an increase in human blood index (HBI) by 2%, which was not significant (p >0.05). In households with >4 cattle and bednet, there was significant reduction (p <0.05) in CBI of 37.5% as compared to the reduction of 10.3% in HBI. The ratios of man biting rates (MBR) decreased significantly, as you move up from households with one cattle with or without LLINs to households with more than four cattle with or without LLINs with a regression coefficient of –0.96; SE = 0.834; p = 0.017. Similarly, the HBI decreased significantly with the regression coefficient of 0.239; SE = 0.039; p = 0.015 (p <0.05) especially in households with >4 cattle. Interpretation & conclusion: This study demonstrated that there were additive effects of zooprophylaxis and LLINs in the control of mosquito density and reduction of human risk to the mosquito bites. However, in Integrated Vector Management (IVM), the number of animals per household should not be more than four.
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    Effects of Metarhizium anisopliae on sand fly populations in their natural habitats in Marigat sub- County, Baringo County, Kenya
    (Centre for Biotechnology Research & Development,, 2010) Ngure, Peter Kamau; Ngumbi, Philip; Kasili, Sichangi; Anjili, Christopher O.; Karanja, Robert M.; Kaburiae, Josyline C.; Mwangi, Milkah; Kinuthia, Geoffrey K.; Kiarie, Martha; Nzau, Anastasia; Kepha, Stella; Maniania, Nguya K.; Irungu, Lucy
    Leishmaniasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases that pose a threat to people in the endemic regions. In Africa, transmission is through the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sand fly. Disease control with chemotherapy is logistically difficult, toxic and expensive. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) hold great potential as alternative vector control for sandflies as demonstrated by their efficacy in recent laboratory experiments. The impressive results have merited testing of the effect of EPF on sand flies in their natural habitats. The goal of this study was to test the effect of EPF on sand fly populations on a small scale in a leishmania-endemic area in Kenya. Entomopathogenic fungi isolates were cultured on Sabourand dextrose agar (SDA) in Petri dishes and incubated at 22-280C. Conidia were produced on long white rice substrate and harvested by sifting the substrate through a 295 μm mesh size sieve and stored at 4- 2 6 0C before being used in the experiments. Metarhizium anisopliae isolates were selected for use in the field after showing 76.8 and 100% mortality in laboratory bred target insects. 2.0 x 1014 of dry conidia of the fungus were introduced into ten termite mounds through the shafts using a modified foot pump in Rabai, Marigat area of Baringo County, Kenya. The site harbours both Phlebotomus martini and P. duboscqi sandfly vectors. Sand fly densities, mycoses and survival after capture from the mounds were observed from week one post-treatment to week thirteen. Results indicate that the fungi in termite mounds caused three to ten-fold mortalities in the population of sand flies nine weeks after application. Longevity of sand flies collected from treated termite mounds was reduced to less than nine days after collection, whereas 90% of those from control mounds lived well over the nine days. Sand flies collected from the treated termite mounds during week nine had 100% mortality compared to 10.7% of those from the control mounds. Metarhizium anisopliae infection was observed in 42% of the sand fly cadavers collected from the treated termite mounds and 0% in the control group. The high susceptibility of sand flies to M. anisopliae suggests that fungi can be developed as potential vector control alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides or preferentially be applied in integrated control strategies in order to gain maximum impact on adult sand fly populations. Further studies to determine the best methods for delivery and application in the diverse ecological settings of various leishmaniasis vectors are recommended.