Studies of anopheline mosquitoes transmitting malaria in a newly developed highland urban area: a case study of Moi University and its environs

Abstract

Throughout the duration of these studies, Anopheles gambiae was the only mosquito species recovered at the study site. It bred in several habitats, showing strong preference for temporary waterponds contained in a variety of reservoirs created through man's construction activities. The dams as permanent water bodies were the most favoured perennial breeding habitat as opposed to swamps. Of the 393 mosquitoes tested, a very small percentage (0.76%) was infected with sporozoites (0.51%) and oocysts (0.25%). The overall human malaria rate was 5.3%. Males (3.3%) were apparently more parasitaemic than the females (2.0%). The difference was not significant (P > 0.05), indicating that the infection was not sex-linked. Of the four known malarial parasites, the only two species that were diagnosed were Plasmodium malariae (Laveran) and Plasmodium falciparum (Welch), the latter species being the most prevalent (86.2%). Only 3 cases of mixed malaria infections were diagnosed. Apparently, the infections of P. falciparum were the most prevalent in age groups below 16 years accounting for 96.6% of all the infections.