Characterization of Potential Larval Habitats and Spatial Distribution of Anopheles Species Larvae During the Dry Season in Mutare City, Zimbabwe: a Cross-sectional Study
Year: 2021
Type: preprint
Abstract: Background: Malaria is traditionally known to be concentrated in rural areas but the disease is increasingly becoming a major public health problem for urban settlements in Africa. National malaria reports show that Mutare City had the greatest endemic malaria burden among all urban settlements in Zimbabwe. To prevent malaria outbreaks, it is essential to monitor malaria vectors in populous urban centers to establish the foci of the vectors while they are still small. This study sought to identify, describe, quantify, geocode mosquito potential larval habitats and their spatial distribution within the city. Methods: Mutare City was divided into four regions and the study was conducted from June to November 2019. Larval sampling of 223 potential habitats was done and the collected larvae were reared until they became adult mosquitoes before being morphologically identified using the keys developed by Gillies and Coetzee. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi Info version 7.2.1.0 statistical package.Results: Anopheline speciation showed that the city was infested with Anopheles funestus (4.9%), An. arabiensis (0.3%), An. pretoriensis (91.3%) An. coustani (0.5%), An. rufipes (2.8%), and An. maculipalpis (0.2%). Overall, An. funestus group was the predominant with An. arabiensis complex less common. The species composition of An. funestus group varied significantly among the sampling habitats. Results showed most mosquito breeding habitats were due to human activities such as agriculture, earth mining, and leaking piped water valves. The digging of shallow wells for domestic use in the high-density areas also contributed to the increase in mosquito breeding habitats.Conclusion: The most significant malaria vectors in the city were An. funestus ss and An. arabiensis. The proliferation of larval habitat hotspots in Mutare City was being fueled by human activities related to earning a living and housing construction. Effective interventions for enhanced larval source management could use a multi-sectoral approach involving all the urban stakeholders. Considering the rapid expansion of the city, more investment is needed to target the most productive habitats by fixing leaking water pipes and frequent application of larvicides with greater residual activity to treat permanent habitats particularly before the rainy season.
Source: Research Square
Institution: Africa University
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3127087577