Impact of rapid ubanization on mosquitoes and their disease transmission potential in Accra and Tema, Ghana

Abstract

The total of 75 mosquito spccics recorded in Accra have declined to 28 spccies. contributing factors to this declinc and the reduction in prevalence of malaria and bancroftian filariasis in Accra presently include extensive water pollution and a fairly high daily mosquito mortality due to several factors including loss of natural adult resting places, use of mosquito repellents and the probable increase of Anopheles arabiensis population. Presently low yellow fever incidence is due inter alia to loss of its feral vectors and reduced intradomiciliary breeding of Aedes aegypti (L) although more common spccics like A. gambiae s.l., A aegypti and C. p. quinquefasciatus could between them transmit many other arboviruses. However because of ready availability of human blood, spill-over of viruses from reservoir hosts to man will be rare. Ipso factor, malaria is the most common mosquito-bomc disease with centripetal distribution of prevalence.