A SURVEY OF MALARIA VECTORS AND PARASITES IN AGUOWA COMMUNITY, ENUGU - EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE, SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

The study set out to determine the presence of mosquito vectors of malaria, prevalentPlasmodium species as well as some blood parameters related to malaria pathology in some inhabitants of Aguowa community of Enugu East
Local Government Area of Enugu State, South-Eastern Nigeria. Adult mosquitoes were sampled indoors using the indoor Pyrethrum Knockdown Collection (PKC) method. Mosquito breeding sites were sampled for larvae. Venous blood samples were collected by thumb prick using blood lancet, for the identification of the various malaria parasites, the haemoglobin level and the Packed Cell Volume. A total of 273 out of the 945 pupils of the only primary school in the area were used for the study. The larvae of three species of mosquitoes were identified as Aedes aegypti (9.3%), Aedes albopictus (13.2%) and Culex quinquefasciatus (77.5%) Anopheles gambiae (1.1%), Aedes aegypti(4.6%) and Culex quinquefasciatus (94.5%)were sampled indoors using the Pyrethrum Knockdown Collection method. The prevalence of the various species of malaria parasites were recorded as follows:Plasmodium falciparum (50.6%), P.ovale (41.2%) and P.malariae (1.5%). The overall prevalence of malaria parasitaemia in the community stood at 87.2%, while the prevalence with respect to sex were 93.7% for males and 82.7% for females. The prevalence for the various age groups were 4-6 years (88.7%), 7-9 years (93.3%), 10-12 years (89.6%) and 13-16 years (60.0%). The mean haemoglobin level of 10.2g/dl and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of 31.0% were below the normal range of values. With a prevalence value of about 87.2%, it appears that malaria is a serious public health issue in Aguowa. There is need therefore to intensify efforts that will lead to reduction in the presence of malaria vectors, and control of the parasite in Aguowa community.

BY OTIJI, MOSES OBIEFUNA, A Thesis submitted to the Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, . As part of the fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Master of Science (M.Sc) Degree in Public Health Parasitology of the University Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka