Identification and distribution of mosquitoes in Khartoum State

Abstract

This study was conducted in Khartoum state ، in the three towns comprising the capital, Khartoum, Khartoum North and Omdurman. Four areas were selected from each town for the study. According to existence of breeding sites in these localities. The aim of the study was to classify mosquitoes present in Khartoum State to genera and species with emphasis on gender differentiation. Mosquitoes were collected using light trap (Medani trap). The trapped mosquitoes were identified. The study revealed the existence of Anpheles arabiensis and Culex quniquefasciatus in all examined areas. Out of the 1000 mosquitoes collected, 494 were Anopheles arabiensis, and 506 were Culex quniquefasciatus constituting prevalence rates of 49.4% and 50.6% respectively. Khartoum North was found to have the highest occurrence rate among the three towns and the lowest was reported in Omdurman. The differences were found to be statistically significant. Males of mosquitoes as well as females were collected in all areas. 409 males were collected and 591 females were collected constituting 40.9% and 59.1% of the total collection respectively. The differences were found to be statistically insignificant. For Anopheles arabiensis, the males constituted 41.5% of the collection and the females constituted 58.5%. Culex quniquefasciatus males constituted 40.3% of the total collection while the females constituted 59.7%. In Khartoum town, the number of Anopheles arabiensis males dominated the number of females in Alsahafa and was almost equal in Soba, Almamura and Gabal Awlia, while the number of females of Culex quinquefasciatus dominated the number of males in all study areas except in Gabal Awlia where Culex quniquefasciatus males dominated the number of females. In Omdurman, the Anopheles arabiensis females dominated the number of males in Wadi Saidna and Algamaer, while the number of females was almost equal to the number of males in Alfetihab and Alarda. For Culex quniqufasciatus, the number of females was almost equal to the number of males. In Khartoum North, Culex quniquefasciatus females were greater in number than males in all study areas. For Anopheles arabiensis, the number of females dominated the number of males in Shambat, Alezba and Helat KuKu. The study concluded that Anopheles arabiensis and Culex quniquefasciatus exist in all localities of Khartoum state but the largest population of mosquitoes was found in Khartoum North. The study recommended that more studies are needed in order to assess the distribution of new species in different seasons in addition to their role in malaria transmission.