Ecological Characterization of Malaria Vector Habitats in Awe and Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Areas, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2541.031Keywords:
Anopheles, Habitat, Malaria, Mosquito, NasarawaAbstract
Malaria remains a significant global health concern due to Anopheles mosquitoes. This study assessed malaria vector populations in Awe and Nassarawa Eggon LGAs of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Mosquito larvae were collected employing standard dipping methods, while physicochemical parameters were analyzed in-situ and in the laboratory using standard methods. A total of 1,405 mosquito larvae were collected, with a higher abundance in Awe (95.2%) than in Nassarawa Eggon (4.8%). Culicines comprised 84.8% of the total larvae, while anophelines accounted for 15.2%. Although habitat type did not significantly influence Anopheles abundance (P = 0.364), puddles (52.5%) and rice fields (28.6%) supported the highest larval populations. The highest mosquito abundance was recorded at a 351–400m gradient (47.8%). No significant association (P = 0.65) was found between larval abundance and proximity to human dwellings. Temperature (r = 0.395), electrical conductivity (r = 0.303), salinity (r = 0.407), total dissolved solids (r = 0.390), and carbon dioxide (r = 0.015) positively influenced Anopheles abundance, while pH (r = -0.039), alkalinity (r = -0.024), and dissolved oxygen (r = -0.067) had negative correlations. Anopheles gambiae (87.2%) was more abundant than An. funestus (12.8%), with no significant difference (P = 0.0881) between species in both LGAs. Continued mosquito surveillance in Awe and Nassarawa Eggon is necessary to enhance vector control strategies and malaria prevention efforts.
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