Mapping of Anopheles mosquito Breeding Habitats in Malaria Endemic Communities of Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Mapping of Anopheles mosquitos breeding sites using the Geographic Information System (GIS) will immensely improves the control and management of mosquito vectors transmitting diseases through Collecting information from field surveys will give an insight about the density and distribution pattern of mosquito vector species. As part of the study to map Anopheles mosquito breeding habitats using Geographical Information System, sampling locations were analyzed with entomological variables. Larval surveillance were conducted trice in each of the communities to determine the abundance of Anopheles mosquito larvae,breeding habitats physicochehmical parameters and abundance of breeding habitats. The study shows that Anopheles mosquito larvae were collected from three (3) communities with Sixty nine (69) breeding sites respectively. The breeding sites(Sakwaya, Madobi and Limawa) are located few kilometers away from Dutse metropolis, Madobi and Limawa are semi urban setlements while Sakwaya is a rural settlement. majority of people in the communities are subsistence farmers with some participates in fishing, Animal husbandry, irrigation operations and small businesses.  Most of the inhabitants in the study village lives in concrete and mud dwellings. The breeding sites in these communities   were located at 3-8 m from human habitations except in Limawa with 200-400m. Map of communities shows that higher number (103,638) of Anopheles mosquito larvae were found in the three (3)study communitiesSakwaya Madobi and Limawa. 69,132(66.7%) in Sakwaya community, 33,851(32.7%) in Madobi community and 655(0.6%) in Limawa Community respectively. The distribution of temperature in the Anopheles mosquito larval breeding habitats of the Larval Source Management (LSM) intervention communities in Dutse, Jigawa State indicates that the temperature pattern of the breeding habitats in the map reveals that the Anopheles larvae breeding habitats in Sakwaya community are characterized with very low temperature(Dark blue), however in  Madobi and Limawa communities Anopheles mosquito larvae breeding habitats are characterized with very high temperature(Dark pink) respectively. Based on the distribution of PH in the Anopheles mosquito larvae breeding habitats of Larval Source Management (LSM) intervention communities in Dutse LGA results shows that Sakwaya Community breeding habitats was characterized with very high pH (dark pink zone) followed by Madobi community breeding habitats characterized with very low pH (Dark blue zone) while the Limawa community breeding habitats was characterized with a low pH (Orange colour zone) respectively. This study reveals that there is need for expanding the use of GIS tools with the aim of developing entomological surveillance studies in Jigawa State and Nigeria at large. The use of GIS tool for mapping Anopheles mosquito vectors will inform adequate planning, management and control of endemic malaria vector diseases in Nigeria.