title: Population dynamics and habitat preferences of Phlebotomus orientalis in extra-domestic habitats of Kafta Humera lowlands--kala azar endemic areas in Northwest Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kafta Humera lowlands are endemic for kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis). These lowlands are characterized by black clay soil which is used for growing sesame, sorghum and cotton for commercial purposes.The aim of this study was to determine seasonal dynamics and habitat preferences of Phlebotomus orientalis, the vector of kala-azar, in extra-domestic habitats of Kafta Humera lowlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  CDC-light Trap [CDC-LT] and Sticky paper Trap [ST] were used to collect sand flies from different habitats before species identification by their morphological characteristics using appropriate keys. Data summarized and analyzed included: species, sex, density, habitats, type of trap used and date (month).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 389,207 sand flies using CDC-LT (n = 955) and ST (n = 5551) were collected from May 17, 2011 to June 6, 2012. The highest Mean Monthly Density (MMD) of P. orientalis trapped by CDC-LT was found in thickets of Acacia seyal in March (64.11 ± 75.87). The corresponding highest MMD of P. orientalis trapped by STs was found in April (58.69 ± 85.20) in agricultural field. No P. orientalis were caught in September using CDC traps and July-October using sticky traps. The overall MMD of P. orientalis trapped by CDC-LT was 15. 78 ± 28.93 (n = 320) in agricultural field, 19.37 ± 36.42 (n = 255) in thickets of A. seyal, and 3.81 ± 6.45 (n = 380) in dense mixed forest. Similar habitats in different localities did not show statistically significant difference for the MMD of P. orientalis trapped by CDC-LT (p = 0.117) and ST (p = 0.134).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agricultural fields and thickets of A. seyal habitats, which exhibit extensive soil cracks and fissures, as opposed to dense mixed forests, serve as preferred breeding sites for P. orientalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P,O, box: 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. wossensegedlemma@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Wossenseged
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lemma
authors.forename: Habte
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tekie
authors.forename: Meshesha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balkew
authors.forename: Teshome
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gebre-Michael
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warburg
authors.forename: Asrat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hailu
mesh_terms: D016573:Agrochemicals; D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D065928:Forests; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000502:physiology*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011891:Rain; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D016573:Agrochemicals
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