title: Zoophagic behaviour of anopheline mosquitoes in southwest Ethiopia: opportunity for malaria vector control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased understanding of the feeding behaviours of malaria vectors is important to determine the frequency of human-vector contact and to implement effective vector control interventions. Here we assess the relative feeding preferences of Anopheles mosquitoes in relation to cattle and human host abundance in southwest Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected female Anopheles mosquitoes bi-weekly using Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) light traps, pyrethrum spray catches (PSCs) and by aspirating from artificial pit shelters, and determined mosquito blood meal origins using a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both Anopheles arabiensis Patton and An. marshalli (Theobald) showed preference of bovine blood meal over humans regardless of higher human population sizes. The relative feeding preference of An. arabiensis on bovine blood meal was 4.7 times higher than that of human blood. Anopheles marshalli was 6 times more likely to feed on bovine blood meal than humans. The HBI of An. arabiensis and An. marshalli significantly varied between the collection methods, whereas the bovine feeding patterns was not substantially influenced by collection methods. Even though the highest HBI of An. arabiensis and An. marshalli was from indoor CDC traps collections, a substantial number of An. arabiensis (65%) and An. marshalli (63%) had contact with cattle. Anopheles arabiensis (44%) and An. marshalli (41%) had clearly taken bovine blood meals outdoors, but they rested indoors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anopheles mosquitoes are zoophagic and mainly feed on bovine blood meals than humans. Hence, it is important to consider treatment of cattle with appropriate insecticide to control the zoophagic malaria vectors in southwest Ethiopia. Systemic insecticides like ivermectin and its member eprinomectin could be investigated to control the pyrethroid insecticides resistant vectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia and Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. fekadu_massebo@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fekadu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Massebo
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. meshesha_b@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Meshesha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balkew
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. teshomegm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Teshome
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gebre-Michael
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. bernt@lindtjorn.no.
authors.forename: Bernt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindtjørn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000502:physiology*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002417:Cattle; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005002:Ethiopia; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*