Contribution of land use to rodent flea load distribution in the plague endemic area of Lushoto District, Tanzania

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dc.contributor.authorHieronimo, Proches
dc.contributor.authorKihupi, Nganga I.
dc.contributor.authorKimaro, Didas N.
dc.contributor.authorGulinck, Hubert
dc.contributor.authorMulungu, Loth S.
dc.contributor.authorMsanya, B. M.
dc.contributor.authorLeirs, Herwing
dc.contributor.authorDeckers, Jozef A.
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-12T12:18:11Z
dc.date.available2021-07-12T12:18:11Z
dc.date.issued2014-07-01
dc.descriptionto investigate the contribution of land use to rodent flea load distribution at fine scale in the plague endemic area of north-eastern Tanzania.en_US
dc.description.abstractFleas associated with different rodent species are considered as the major vectors of bubonic plague, which is still rampant in different parts of the world. The objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of land use to rodent flea load distribution at fine scale in the plague endemic area of north-eastern Tanzania. Data was collected in three case areas namely, Shume, Lukozi and Mwangoi, differing in plague incidence levels. Data collection was carried out during both wet and dry seasons of 2012. Analysis of Variance and Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) statistical methods were used to clarify the relationships between fleas and specific land use characteristics. There was a significant variation (P ≤ 0.05) of flea indices in different land use types. Fallow and natural forest had higher flea indices whereas plantation forest mono-crop and mixed annual crops had the lowest flea indices among the aggregated land use types. The influence of individual land use types on flea indices was variable with fallow having a positive effect and land tillage showing a negative effect. The results also demonstrated a seasonal effect, part of which can be attributed to different land use practices such as application of pesticides, or the presence of grass strips around fields. These findings suggest that land use factors have a major influence on rodent flea abundance which can be taken as a proxy for plague infection risk. The results further point to the need for a comprehensive package that includes land tillage and crop type considerations on one hand and the associated human activities on the other, in planning and implementation of plague control interventions. ________________________________________________________________________________en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipSokoine University of Agriculture - Flemish Interuniversity Council (SUA-VLIR) Own Initiative Project - ‘Landscape-Ecological Clarification of Bubonic Plague Distribution and Outbreaks in the Western Usambara Mountains, Tanzania’ (Acronym: LEPUS), funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council, Belgium. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Anne Laudisoit (Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium) for the identification of flea species. The authors also greatly appreciate the cooperation of many people including farmers in the study area, staff of Lushoto District Council and Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University.en_US
dc.identifier.citationPROCHES HIERONIMO et al... [2014] Contribution of land use to rodent flea load distribution in the plague endemic area of Lushoto District, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/3714
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSokoine University of Agriculture,en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesJournal;03
dc.subjectplagueen_US
dc.subjectland useen_US
dc.subjectrodenten_US
dc.subjectfleasen_US
dc.subjectTanzaniaen_US
dc.titleContribution of land use to rodent flea load distribution in the plague endemic area of Lushoto District, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.urlhttp://dx.doi.orgen_US

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