Abstract: Vectors of emerging infectious diseases have expanded their distributional ranges in recent decades due to increased global travel, trade connectivity and climate change. Transboundary range shifts, arising from the continuous movement of humans and livestock across borders, are of particular disease control concern. Several tick-borne diseases are known to circulate between eastern Uganda and the western counties of Kenya, with one fatal case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (C...
Abstract: Ticks and tick-borne diseases cause substantial economic losses to the livestock industry in sub-Saharan Africa. Mazao Tickoff is a novel bioacaricide developed for tick control and is based on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.) isolate ICIPE 7. To date, no randomized controlled study has been undertaken to demonstrate the efficacy of this bioacaricide in reducing natural tick infestation on cattle. To this end, this field trial is designed to eval...
Abstract: Aedes simpsoni complex has a wide distribution in Africa and comprises at least three described sub-species including the yellow fever virus (YFV) vector Ae. bromeliae. To date, the distribution and relative contributions of the sub-species and/or subpopulations including bionomic characteristics in relation to YF transmission dynamics remain poorly studied. In this study conducted in two areas with divergent ecosystems: peri-urban (coastal Rabai) and rural (Rift Valley Kerio Valle...
Abstract: Gender intersects with healthcare systems; this is equally true for arboviral vector control efforts. However,there is as yet no comprehensive analysis as to how vector control is gendered. Hence, our objective is to provide thefirst thematic scoping and spatial distribution of the literature on gender, community health workers, and vector control.The authors use a systematic review approach to collect the academic literature on gender, community health workers,and vector control i...
Abstract: Second instar nymphs of African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides, and desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, were tested for their susceptibility to the microsporidium pathogen Johenrea locustae (Lange et al. 1996, Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 68, 28) in the laboratory. Spores of J. locustae were produced from live L.m. migratorioides, a conspecific to L. migratoria capito. Locusta m. migratorioides and S. gregaria were exposed to wheat seedlings sprayed wit...
Abstract: Stingless bees are important pollinators of cultivated and wild plants, contributing significantly to biodiversity and foodsecurity. Conserving pollinator plant interactions is essential to secure these ecosystems services. The use ofmorphological features in the identification of stingless bees in the genusHypotrigonais extremely difficult, due to manysimilarities among species resulting in taxonomic ambiguity. Here, we apply both traditional morphometrics and DNAbarcoding as ompl...
Abstract: Propolis is a hive product composed of biologically active plant resins, and has been shown toenhance individual honey bee (Apis melliferaL.) health. Propolis has also been demonstratedto mitigate, in part, the negative effects caused by the ecto-parasitic miteVarroa destructorand its associated viruses on the health of managed European honey bee colonies.However, its effect on the health status of African honey bees remains largely unknown.Here, we found that the African savannah ...
Abstract: Climate change and bush encroachment pose huge challenges to rangeland management in Namibia. These challenges require a holistic management approach that ensures consistent and optimum forage productivity and sustainability. Mechanical and chemical control methods are the most used techniques in controlling woody encroaching species to improve pastoral properties in the Namibian savannas. However, there is very little information regarding the management options that concurrently ...
Abstract: Despite substantial efforts to control locusts they remain periodically a major burden in Africa, causing severe yield loss and hence loss of food and income. Distribution maps indicating the value of the basic reproduction number R0 was used to identify areas where an insect pest can be controlled by a natural enemy. A dynamic process-based mathematical model integrating essential features of a natural enemy and its interaction with the pest is used to generate R0 risk maps for in...
Abstract: Context Tungiasis is a neglected tropical skin disease endemic in resource-poor communities. It is caused by the penetration of the female sand flea, Tunga penetrans, into the skin causing immense pain, itching, difficulty walking, sleeping and concentrating on school or work. Infection is associated with living in a house with unsealed earthen house floors. Methods This feasibility study used a community-based co-creation approach to develop and test simple, locally appropriate, a...
Abstract: This paper estimates the impact of trypanosomiasis on crop-livestock production, economic loss and poverty in Ethiopia. We use unique panel data to estimate how the disease affects livestock deaths, production costs and crop production. We then use these estimates to evaluate the disease's total economic loss and its implications on poverty in the study districts and the country. Estimates of the fixed effect regression models indicate that trypanosomiasis increases the value of li...
Abstract: Malaria remains a serious threat in sub-Saharan Africa Available control tools are now largely ineffective. Because of the role of vectors in malaria transmission, integrated vector management strategies that are environmentally safe, economically feasible and acceptable to resource-limited communities are one way to achieve effective malaria control. However, adequate knowledge of the biology, behaviour and ecology of the malaria vectors are imperative. Sugar-feeding from plants i...
Abstract: Due to the rapid development of tick resistance to synthetic chemical acaricides and the potential risk posed by these chemicals to non-target species, efforts are intensifying towards the development of entomopathogenic fungi as an environmentally benign alternative tick control strategy. The main objective of this study is the development of formulations and delivery systems for control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi. Screening of entomopathogenic fungal isolates is the fir...
Abstract: Several Cicadulina species are important pests of maize by virtue of their role as vectors of maize streak virus (MSV). Tnis study deals with various aspects of the vector/virus/host plant relationship. Developmental times for all life stages of both C. anestae and C. mbila were inversely related to temperature, and the data were used to develop a degree-day (DD) model that can be used to estimate population growth in the field. The rate of development peaked at 30 °c for both spe...
Abstract: Honey bees are important insects that have benefited mankind for medicinal and nutritional purposes for thousands of years. They have also provided an important balance in the environment allowing many plant species to pollinate and proliferate. Honey bees have naturally occurring parasites and pathogens which usually do not destroy the bees. The development of long-distance travel among human beings introduced global trade in plants and animals introducing new species and diseases...