Abstract
This study was an epidemiological study regarding the prevalence of visceral leishmaniaisis among first year students (as new comers) in Gadarif University, Eastern of Sudan, in 2013. It was conducted to evaluate the use, efficacy and comfortability of the use of commercial lavender lotion as vector control tool among group of 10 students from first year (5 male and 5 female). Health education regarding use of repellents and sand flies was put into operation in the end of the rainy season before the start of the study. The repellents used in this study were commercial lavender lotion which was made from the essential oil extracted from the fresh flowers of the lavender plant, also known as insect repellent. The field evaluation showed protection up to mean time for 7 h and 40 min against the species. Application of commercial lavender lotion can be safe and low-cost means of personal protection against sand fly bites in endemic areas of Gadarif, if the community is advised and encouraged to use it. Significant correlations between post leishmanin skin test results and using of repellents has been reported (p = 0.001). Key words: Lavender lotion, Gadarif State, repellents, Phlebotomus orientalis, leishmaniasis, vector, epidemiology, efficacy.
Highlights
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania
Members of the genus Leishmania are polymorphic and are present in two forms: the amastigote form which shows a round to oval body without free flagellum, and the promastigote which is longer than the amastigote, with a central nucleus, anterior kinetoplast and a welldeveloped flagellum (El-Hassan and Zijlstra, 2001)
The repellent activities of lavender lotion evaluated against sand fly in the field conditions show full protection for up to 4 hours, extended to a mean time of 7 h, and 20 to 40 min with less protection (Table 1)
Summary
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. The genus Leishmania is divided into two subgenera on the basis of the development in the sand fly vector (TDR, 2005). The control of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), the vectors of leishmaniasis, is directed mostly against adults as larvae develop in unknown or inaccessible habitats. With no effective means of sand fly control for exophagic and exophilic species so far in Sudan or elsewhere, the first line of defense for individuals might be the personal use of insect repellents.
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