Control of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) with Bacillus sphaericus in Maroua, Cameroon.
Two strategies were tested to control Culex quinquefasciatus with Bacillus sphaericus in Maroua (population 130,000), Cameroon. The treatment of all potential breeding sites (27,000) with B. sphaericus during the dry season caused up to a 90% reduction in the adult biting rate. Because of the short persistence of B. sphaericus and the occurrence of new breeding sites, unacceptable levels of adult biting rates were reached again in 5 months. In the second strategy, two treatments per year of the most productive breeding sites (10,000) stopped the biting rate increase during the rainy season. The results were only partially successful because of variations in B. sphaericus toxicity. The first treatment required 1,200 man-days of work vs. 200 for the simplified treatments. The density of breeding sites depends on the rainfall and the presence of a tap-water network. A sustained control program of Cx. quinquefasciatus will depend upon the dynamics of the principal breeding sites and an improved formulation of B. sphaericus.
Barbazan
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P
Antenne ORSTOM auprès du Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
Baldet
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T
Darriet
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F
Escaffre
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H
Djoda
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DH
Hougard
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus; D002163:Cameroon; D003465:Culex; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D011156:Population Density
D007306:Insecticides