Spatial distribution and habitat characterisation of mosquito species in the lake and land habitats of western Kenya

Background: Infections with mosquito-borne parasites are common in humanpopulations inhabiting tropical regions of the world. Malaria is endemic along Kenyan Lake Victoria basin and its vectors are fresh water breeders. However, much less is known about the current spatial distribution and habitat characterisation of mosquitoes including vectors of malaria in the lake waters and adjacent terrestrial aquatic habitats.Objectives: To characterise mosquito larval habitats and to determine the spatialdistribution of mosquito species in lake and land habitats, measure aquatic habitats’ (water) physic-chemical parameters, enumerate the number of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish species and determine their effects on the abundance of mosquitoes. This could allow larval control to be more effectively targeted at specific sites which in its turn could reduce malaria transmission in the area.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: The Kenyan Lake Victoria Basin.Results: Anopheles and Culex species of mosquitoes were absent in different locations in the lake, but abundant in different aquatic habitats in different locations on land. There was heterogeneity in the relative abundance of Anopheles and Culex species in the aquatic habitats in different locations on land, p<0.001, Bartlett’s test. There were more Anopheles mosquito in quary and shoreline swamp puddles, flood plain, and stream edge puddles than natural swamps, rivers and permanent ponds habitats, P<0.001. There was no significant correlation of the abundance of Anopheles and physico-chemical parameters, P>0.05 (Pearsons correlation coefficiency). Also, there was no significant correlation between abundance of Anopheles mosquitoes and phytoplanktons, (P>0.05). Significant correlation was however, observed with Dinoflagellates on land, P=0.014. Clarias gariepinus were more insectivorous compared to Oreochromis niloticus, which mostly fed on zooplankton and food remains. The most abundant mosquitoes in the lake were Mansonia followed by Aedes species of mosquitoes.Conclusion: Anopheles species of mosquitoes do not breed in deep permanent lake waters even if it is heavily infested by water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds. However, they breed in temporary or seasonal aquatic land habitats such as pools and swamps, more so when infested by aquatic and other vegetations. We recommend that, focus of malaria vector control should concentrate on land sites. Health education and awareness programs should be scaled up to inform the local communities on mosquito species ecology in relation to transmission of malaria and other mosquito- borne diseases. There is need to introduce certain fish species (Clarias gariepinus) for biological control of mosquitoes breeding in the aquatic habitats near human habitats

The Recognition of and Care Seeking Behaviour for Childhood Illness in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

Background: Pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria are among the leading causes of death in children. These deaths are largely preventable if appropriate care is sought early. This review aimed to determine the percentage of caregivers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with a child less than 5 years who were able to recognise illness in their child and subsequently sought care from different types of healthcare providers. Methods and Findings: We conducted a systematic literature review of studies that reported recognition of, and/or care seeking for episodes of diarrhoea, pneumonia or malaria in LMICs. The review is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42011001654). Ninety-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies reported data on caregiver recognition of disease and seventy-seven studies on care seeking. The median sensitivity of recognition of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia was low (36.0%, 37.4%, and 45.8%, respectively). A median of 73.0% of caregivers sought care outside the home. Care seeking from community health workers (median: 5.4% for diarrhoea, 4.2% for pneumonia, and 1.3% for malaria) and the use of oral rehydration therapy (median: 34%) was low. Conclusions: Given the importance of this topic to child survival programmes there are few published studies. Recognition of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia by caregivers is generally poor and represents a key factor to address in attempts to improve health care utilisation. In addition, considering that oral rehydration therapy has been widely recommended for over forty years, its use remains disappointingly low. Similarly, the reported levels of care seeking from community health workers in the included studies are low even though global action plans to address these illnesses promote community case management. Giving greater priority to research on care seeking could provide crucial evidence to inform child mortality programmes