Browsing by Author "Mburu, Faith W."

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    Mosquito Diversity in the Nairobi – Kenya Urban Environment and Implications for Disease Transmission
    (2020-05-23) Kinuthia, Geoffrey K.; Ngure, Veronica N.; Kamau, Luna; Beti, Dunstone; Lugalia, Reuben; Wangila, Agnes; Ngari, Florence Wanja; Mburu, Faith W.; Kiarie, Martha
    Mosquito surveillance and control efforts especially those carried out under programmatic settings by mosquito control departments of governments in many situations in Africa tend to focus on rural locales, mainly because this is where mosquito transmitted diseases have been found to be prevalent. In a recent study, we found an abundance of mosquitogenic conditions conducive for mosquito breeding in Nairobi in areas in close proximity to informal settlements, similar to previous studies. Thirteen different mosquito species were identified with Culex pipiens accounting for over 97% of the 7,605 mosquitoes sampled. Implications for disease transmission within the context of climate change and other factors are discussed. The evidence points to the need for enhanced vector surveillance and control in urban environments to minimize the risk of emergence and resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases.
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    Survey of urban mosquitoes species (Diptera: Culicidae) with focus on waste water channels as larval habitats in Nairobi industrial area, Kenya.
    (African Journal of Health Sciences,, 2017-03) Ngure, Geoffrey; Kamau, N.V; Di, Bet; Ra, Lugali; Wangila, A; Ngari, W; Mburu, Faith W.; Kiarie, Martha
    Background:A cross sectional study to establish the levels of heavy metals and other potentially harmful elements (PHEs)present in samples obtained from selected open waste water channels in Nairobi industrial area (Kenya) was carried out. The waste water channels selected were those near the factories or those directly discharging from factories. The samples collected included mosquitoes (larvae and adults), waste water, green algae, and soil. Unmaintained open waste water channels are among the man made features that enhance the breeding of urban mosquitoes because they tend to have overgrown vegetation and trapped solid wastes which slow or inhibit the waste water flow. Different mosquito species have previously transmitted arboviruses including those responsible for dangerous fevers such as West Nile, Rift Valley, Zika, Dengue, Yellow, and Chikungunya among others in different parts of the world. The study area (Nairobi industrial area) neighbors several densely populated informal human settlements. This paper specifically reports on composition and distribution of mosquito species obtained from the study area. Methods:The fourth instars mosquito larvae were collected from waste water channels using the standard dipping method. Adult mosquitoes were trapped using the center for disease control and prevention (CDC) light traps. Purposive random sampling for mosquito adults and larvae was carried out in industrial premises and waste water channels respectively at seven locations. This involved selecting sampling sites from which mosquito samples were likely to be obtained. The mosquitoes were then microscopically identified using taxonomic keys for the Ethiopian and East African region. Results:Out of 2,926 adult mosquitoes trapped, 12 species were identified including Cx. pipiens (95%); Cx. Vansomereni (2.6%); Cx. zombaensis (1.4%); Cx. univittatus (0.34%); Cx. theileri (0.21%); Ae. aegpti (0.14%); An. maculipalpis (0.03%); An. squamosus (0.03%) and other culicid species (0.20%). Of these adult mosquitoes,