Ecological assessment of rodents and flea populations and disease awareness in plague foci, Mbulu District, Northern Tanzania
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Date
2024
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Plague, a rodent-borne disease caused by Yersinia pestis, continues to
be a major public health concern in several African countries. Disease
outbreaks are influenced by various factors, including rodent population
dynamics, flea infestations, human behaviors and practices and
environmental conditions. Conducting comprehensive studies
addressing these factors particularly in plague endemic areas is crucial
for understanding their involvenment in plague persistence and
developing effective preventive and control measures. In this study,
several methods were used to assess different factors associated with
the continued existence of plague in the plague foci, Mbulu district,
Tanzania. The study was conducted between November 2019 to
November 2021. To assess rodent species richness, diversity, and
community structure in relation to plague persistence in different
habitats, seasons and localities, a removel trapping method was
applied. Findings indicated that areas with plague persistent had higher
rodent abundance and species richness than non-persistent areas.
Nortably, species richness was lower in-house premises compared to
other habitats. Also, the study revealed three rodent community
structures that varied significantly between studied habitat types,
suggesting interactions influenced by available resources in the
particular habitats.
The population dynamics of Mastomys natalensis and Lophuromys
makundii were assessed using a Capture-Mark-Recapture method.
Results showed that the abundance of M. natalensis was significantly
higher in farms present in plague persistent than those present in non-
plague persistent locality. The dry season showed a significant increase
of abundance compared to the long rain season and the short rain
season. Plague persistent had a significant increase in breeding
females compared to non-plague persistent localities, while in the different habitats, farms showed a significant decrease in breeding
females compared to forests. Also, dry season was associated with an
increase in breeding females compared to the long rain season and the
short rain season. Furthermore, the abundance of L. makundii and
proportion of breeding females showed a significant increase in forest
present in plague persistent than non-plague persistent localities. The
abundance increased significantly during the dry season and long rain
season compared to the short rain season. The breeding females
significantly increased during the dry and the short rain season than the
long rain season.
For the assessment of flea infestation of rodents, fleas ectoparasites
were collected by fur brushing the captured rodents. The study aimed to
determine flea infestation prevalence, community structure, and
variations between localities, habitats (farn and forest) and seasons.
Flea abundance did not show significant differences between localities,
habitats and seasons. However, prevalence of flea infestation was
significantly positively associated with the plague persistent locality and
the short rain season. Also, the study revealed two broad flea
community structures based on farm and forest habitats.
Fluctuations in flea abundance thoughout the sampling period and the
influence of household behavior (such as mat and sleeping loft) on flea
abundance within house were examined using a removal method and
light trap. The study found seven flea species within houses with
Ctenocephalides canis being the most abundant, followed by Pullex
irritans and Ctenocephalides felis. The abundance was significantly
higher in dry than long rain season. Houses with sleeping bed, mattress
and loft had significantly higher flea abundance than houses with bed
and mat alone. Also, households that shared livestock in one roof had
significantly more fleas than non-shared households.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Rodent population, Flea abundance, household behavior, plague persistence