Mosquitoes at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Nigeria: A Threat to Caregivers and Patients

Aline M.E Noutcha,Chidinma E Okparaibea,Odidika C Umeozor,Samuel N Okiwelu

doi:10.18639/rabm.2019.958949

Abstract

Anopheles gambiae sensu lato is the most important malaria vector in Nigeria. Referral hospitals have a mandate to provide patients with the best health care. The persistent complaints of the nuisance caused to patients, professionals, and visitors by mosquitoes at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), a referral Hospital, prompted the design of this study to assess the species composition, density, and man-biting rates of endophilic mosquitoes at the UPTH. A longitudinal entomological survey covered dry and wet seasons, February–July 2017, with sampling done thrice weekly, using the aspiration method. Caught mosquitoes were identified by standard keys using a dissecting microscope and classified according to their gonotrophic status. A total of 1,307 mosquitoes in two genera (Culex, Anopheles) and three species (Culex quinguefasciatus, Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles mouchetti) were caught, comprising 150 (11.5%) males and 1,157 females. The most abundant species was Culex quinguefasciatus (98.01%), An. gambiae s.l. (1.64%), and the least abundant, An. mouchetti (0.35%). Gonotrophic examinations of caught females revealed 52.8% blood-fed and 40.1% unfed. Culex quinquefasciatus had higher man-biting rates (1.26 bites/patient/night) than Anopheles (0.2 bites/patient/night). The Accident and Emergency ward, 595 (45.5%), and the Obstetrics and Gynecology ward, 328 (25.1%), had the highest records of caught mosquitoes among the four wards visited for collections. No significant difference (Fcal = 1.0722, Ftab = 13, p > 0.05, df = 2) existed between wet and dry seasons' collections. Because of the high numbers of blood-fed Anopheles, an urgent need for intervention is required to reduce the case of vector/human contacts; notably, larval source management will be a principal approach toward control.

Highlights

The largest malaria burden is borne by Nigeria, Africa’s most lymphatic filariasis endemic country [1]
Malaria is responsible for 67% of all clinical attendance, 30% of admissions, 25% of preschooler mortality, 30% of childhood mortality, and 11% of maternal mortality, while the endemicity of lymphatic filariasis is estimated at 91% in Nigeria [2, 3]
Per man hour density (PMHD) of the adult mosquitoes per hospital ward was calculated as PMHD 5 TM/P 3 T, where TM 5 total number of mosquitoes collected, P 5 no. of persons involved in the collection and T 5 time spent in hours [19]

Summary

Introduction

The largest malaria burden is borne by Nigeria, Africa’s most lymphatic filariasis endemic country [1]. Malaria is responsible for 67% of all clinical attendance, 30% of admissions, 25% of preschooler mortality, 30% of childhood mortality, and 11% of maternal mortality, while the endemicity of lymphatic filariasis is estimated at 91% in Nigeria [2, 3]. Persons afflicted with lymphatic filariasis exceed 120 million, and those debilitated and defaced are approximately 33% of the affected population [4]. The endemicity of mosquito-borne disease depends on the incidence of vector species and the suitability of the environment for their survival and proliferation [6]. To understand the intensity of threats imposed on countries by mosquito vector species, it is crucial that data on public health significance of those vectors are collected [7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion