Uncovering the Blood Meal Preferences of Malaria Vectors in Bauchi State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54987/jebat.v8i2.1187Keywords:
Anopheles gambiae, Anthropophagy, Blood-meal analysis, Malaria transmission, Vector controlAbstract
Understanding the blood-feeding preferences of the malaria vector mosquitoes is essential to predict the transmission dynamics and to develop targeted control interventions. This study identified the blood meal sources of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato collected from nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bauchi State, Nigeria, between June 2019 and December 2021. A total of 6,935 adult mosquito samples were collected by pyrethrum spray collections of which 2,841 (41%) were identified as Anopheles gambiae s.l. Of these, 1,000 blood fed females were analyzed by direct ELISA to determine the source of host blood. The human blood meal was the most common (52.4%) followed by goat (12.8%), cow (9.2%), sheep (7.5%) and pig (1.6%). Feeding patterns varied by LGA with some sites showing mixed zoophagy. Species composition (p < 0.001), blood-fed rates (p < 0.01) and blood-meal distributions (p < 0.001) differed significantly in statistical analyses. The dominance of anthropophagy highlights the importance of Anopheles gambiae s.l. in the transmission of malaria in Bauchi State. The findings emphasize the need to improve vector control, especially indoor residual spraying and long-lasting insecticidal nets, in areas with high human-feeding fractions.
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