Abstract:
Background & objectives:
In order to understand sandfly bionomics, vector species identification,
and to develop methods for sandfly control, there is a need to sample sandflies in any particular
habitat. This survey was aimed at determining the best method of sampling
Phlebotomus
(Phlebotomus) duboscqi
(Diptera: Psychodidae) in the field.
Methods:
Different animal baits and CO
2
-baited CDC light traps were used to attract sandflies
released in an insect-proof screen-house located in the sandfly’s natural habitat in Marigat, Baringo
district of Kenya.
Results
: Attraction of hungry
P. duboscqi
female sandflies by the goat (
Capra hircis
) was
significantly higher than that of hamster (
Mesocricetus auretus
), Nile grass rat (
Arvicanthis
niloticus
), gerbil (
Tatera robusta
) and chicken (
Gallus domestica)
. However, two rodent species,
A. niloticus
and
T. robusta
did not differ significantly. A linear regression analysis of weights of
animal baits and number of sandflies attracted revealed an insignificant result. The fluorescent
dyes used to distinguish sandflies of different day experiments seemed not to influence the sandfly
numbers in relation to the studied sandfly behaviour.
Interpretation & conclusion:
The similar attraction pattern of
P. duboscqi
in semi-field environment
by CO
2
-baited CDC light trap and the goat provides hope for solution to the problem of fast
dissipating dry ice (CO
2
source) in the field. Goats can, therefore, also be utilized as deflectors of
vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis from humans in zooprophylaxis in
Leishmania major
endemic
areas where the sandfly is found.
