title: Onchocerciasis transmission in Ghana: biting and parous rates of host-seeking sibling species of the Simulium damnosum complex.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ghana is renowned for its sibling species diversity of the Simulium damnosum complex, vectors of Onchocerca volvulus. Detailed entomological knowledge becomes a priority as onchocerciasis control policy has shifted from morbidity reduction to elimination of infection. To date, understanding of transmission dynamics of O. volvulus has been mainly based on S. damnosum sensu stricto (s.s.) data. We aim to elucidate bionomic features of vector species of importance for onchocerciasis elimination efforts.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected S. damnosum sensu lato from seven villages in four Ghanaian regions between 2009 and 2011, using standard vector collection, and human- and cattle-baited tents. Taxa were identified using morphological and molecular techniques. Monthly biting rates (MBR), parous rates and monthly parous biting rates (MPBR) are reported by locality, season, trapping method and hour of collection for each species.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S. damnosum s.s./S. sirbanum were collected at Asubende and Agborlekame, both savannah villages. A range of species was caught in the Volta region (forest-savannah mosaic) and Gyankobaa (forest), with S. squamosum or S. sanctipauli being the predominant species, respectively. In Bosomase (southern forest region) only S. sanctipauli was collected in the 2009 wet season, but in the 2010 dry season S. yahense was also caught. MBRs ranged from 714 bites/person/month at Agborlekame (100% S. damnosum s.s./S. sirbanum) to 8,586 bites/person/month at Pillar 83/Djodji (98.5% S. squamosum). MBRs were higher in the wet season. In contrast, parous rates were higher in the dry season (41.8% vs. 18.4%), resulting in higher MPBRs in the dry season. Daily host-seeking activity of S. damnosum s.s./S. sirbanum was bimodal, whilst S. squamosum and S. sanctipauli had unimodal afternoon peaks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bionomic differences between sibling species of the S. damnosum complex need to be taken into account when designing entomological monitoring protocols for interventions and parameterising mathematical models for onchocerciasis control and elimination.
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK. poppy.lamberton@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Poppy H L
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lamberton
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK. r.a.cheke@greenwich.ac.uk.|Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich at Medway, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK. r.a.cheke@greenwich.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cheke
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK. m.walker06@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Outbreak Investigation and Modelling, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK. p.winskill@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winskill
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology and Health, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Water Research Institute, Accra, Accra, PO Box M32, Ghana. oseiatweneboana@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Mike Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Osei-Atweneboana
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich at Medway, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK. inaki.tirados@lstmed.ac.uk.|Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK. inaki.tirados@lstmed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Iñaki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tirados
authors.affiliation: Ghana Health Service, Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra, Ghana. ttettehkumah@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tetteh-Kumah
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, PO Box LG581, Ghana. DBoakye@noguchi.mimcom.org.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Boakye
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, PO Box LG581, Ghana. mwilson@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AH, UK. R.J.Post@ljmu.ac.uk.|Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK. R.J.Post@ljmu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rory J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Post
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK. m.basanez@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: María-Gloria
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Basáñez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000502:physiology*; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000145:classification* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D055815:Young Adult