Evaluation of Live Artemisia Annua L. Plants as Mosquito Repellents in Boarding Schools and Households of Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2017-10
Authors
Mbulo, Thomas Mutua
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Mosquitoes have attained public health concern than any other arthropod. The bloodfeeding
females transmit the protozoa causing malaria, filarial worms causing
elephantiasis, and viral diseases. Malaria is a serious public health issue in sub-Saharan
Africa, infecting between 300 and 500 million people annually, and it's the leading
cause of infant and child morbidity and mortality. Approximately 70 Anopheles species
have been shown to be competent '!;ectors of human malaria. Methods used for malaria
control include killing mosquitoes at larval and adult stages and prevention of biting.
Mechanical barriers for example, impregnated mosquito bed nets are commonly used to
provide protection from mosquito bites. Despite the use of these conventional methods
to prevent mosquito bites, there continues to have cases of malarial deaths. The main
objective of this study was to evaluate the mosquito repellence effect of live potted
Artemisia annua L. plants hung at doors and windows of dormitories in boarding
secondary schools of Mwea Rice Irrigation Scheme (MRIS), Kirinyaga County, Kenya.
Cross-sectional and experimental ecological study designs were used in this study. Four
boarding schools in the MRIS were purposively selected. A total of 340 students were
randomly selected from the four schools and a structured questionnaire was
administered to the students to gather quantitative data. Also four villages neighbouring
the boarding schools were purposively selected and 340 households were systematically
sampledfor this study. A structured questionnaire was administered to the 340 selected
households to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. Baseline mosquito density
measurement was done before introducing Artemisia annua in the schools by collecting
mosquitoes in selected dormitories. Potted live A. annua plants were hung at the doors
and windows of the selected dormitories. Mosquitoes were collected from the selected
dormitories after introducing A. annua using suction tube method. The level of
knowledge on mosquito control strategy amongst students was high at 97%. Mosquito
control methods at household level were use of mosquito bed net (75.8%), use of
firewood and mosquito coil (17%), use of insecticide (24%), and environmental
t'management practice (70%).' Mean (± SEM) baseline mosquito density in boarding
schools were 47.62±2.20, 48.00 ±1.93 for girls treatment and control dormitories
respectively, 38.50±2.82, 42.50±2.01 for boys treatment and control dormitories
respectively, and 50.37±2.78, 61.50±3.29 for girls and boys blanks dormitories
respectively. Live Artemisia annua introduction resulted in decreases of mean mosquito
catches in both the treatments and controls. Differences in the mean mosquito catches in
both the control and treatment dormitories were significant at p = 0.001 for the months
of March-June respectively. The study concluded that live A. annua reduced the
mosquito density in dormitories of boarding schools even when they were separated by
50 metres. The' study recommends that A. annua should be planted near dormitories
and other buildings to repel mosquitoes.
Description
Department of Community Health. A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Public Health (Epidemiology and Disease Control) in the I' School of Public Health of Kenyatta University,October,2017
Keywords
Boarding Schools, Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kenya