The Hydrochemical and Physical Characteristics of the Breeding Sites of the <i>Simulium neavei</i> Roubaud Group and their Associated Crabs in the Eastern Usambara Mountains in Tanzania

Grunewald, Jörg; Grunewald, Barbara; Raybould, J. N.; Mhiddin, Haji K.

doi:10.1002/iroh.19790640107

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 11 publications

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“…Between 1966-67 and 1973-74, the mean numbers of S. woodi larvae per collection from the Kizugu stream (a tributary of the Zigi river) declined by 32%, though there was little difference in the numbers of crabs collected (Grunewald et al 1979). Man-biting rates at a forest clearing at Amani, in 1985-6 were compared with those in 1963-4.…”

Section: Onchocerciasismentioning

confidence: 99%

Deforestation: effects on vector-borne disease

1993

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SUMMARYThis review addresses' changes in the ecology of vectors and epidemiology of vector-borne diseases which result from deforestation. Selected examples are considered from viral and parasitic infections (arboviruses, malaria, the leishmaniases, nlariases, Chagas Disease and schistosomiasis) where disease patterns have been directly or indirectly influenced by loss of natural tropical forests. A wide range of activities have resulted in deforestation. These include colonisation and settlement, transmigrant programmes, logging, agricultural activities to provide for cash crops, mining, hydropower development and fuelwood collection. Each activity influences the prevalence, incidence and distribution of vector-borne disease. Three main regions are considered – South America, West & Central Africa and South-East Asia. In each, documented changes in vector ecology and behaviour and disease pattern have occurred. Such changes result from human activity at the forest interface and within the forest. They include both deforestation and reafforestation programmes. Deforestation, or activities associated with it, have produced new habitats for Anopheles darlingi mosquitoes and have caused malaria epidemics in South America. The different species complexes in South-East Asia (A. dirus, A. minimus, A. balabacensis) have been affected in different ways by forest clearance with different impacts on malaria incidence. The ability of zoophilic vectors to adapt to human blood as an alternative source of food and to become associated with human dwellings (peridomestic behaviour) have influenced the distribution of the leishmaniases in South America. Certain species of sandflies (Lutzomyia intermedia, Lu. longipalpis, Lu. whitmani), which were originally zoophilic and sylvatic, have adapted to feeding on humans in peridomestic and even periurban situations. The changes in behaviour of reservoir hosts and the ability of pathogens to adapt to new reservoir hosts in the newly-created habitats also influence the patterns of disease. In anthroponotic infections, such as Plasmodium, Onchocerca and Wuchereria, changes in disease patterns and vector ecology may be more difficult to detect. Detailed knowledge of vector species and species complexes is needed in relation to changing climate associated with deforestation. The distributions of the Anopheles gambiae and Simulium damnosum species complexes in West Africa are examples. There have been detailed longitudinal studies of Anopheles gambiae populations in different ecological zones of West Africa. Studies on Simulium damnosum cytoforms (using chromosome identification methods) in the Onchocerciasis Control Programme were necessary to detect changes in distribution of species in relation to changed habitats. These examples underline the need for studies on the taxonomy of medically-important insects in parallel with long-term observations on changing habitats. In some circumstances, destruction of the forest has reduced or even removed disease transmission (e.g. S. neavei-transmitted Onchocerca in Kenya). Whilst the process of deforestation can be expected to continue, hopefully at a decreased rate, it is expected that unpredictable and sometimes rapid changes in disease patterns will pose problems for the public health services.

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Section: Onchocerciasismentioning

confidence: 99%

Deforestation: effects on vector-borne disease

1993

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Distribution and abundance of freshwater crabs (Potamonautes spp.) in rivers draining Mt Kenya, East Africa

Dobson¹,

Magana²,

Mathooko³

et al. 2007

fal

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Little is known about population densities of freshwater crabs, or their ecological importance, in African rivers. This study aimed to quantify crab abundance in rivers draining Mt Kenya. Invertebrates were sampled from 21 sites on 19 rivers. Sample sites were divided into: open sites in agricultural land from which trees were mainly absent; shaded sites, in agricultural land, with cultivated catchments but heavy shading by riparian trees; and forest sites, still dominated by natural vegetation. Crabs, mainly Potamonautes odhneri, were recorded from 14 of the 21 sites, including all forest sites, and were significantly more abundant in forest sites than in either type of agricultural site. However, there was no difference in biomass among habitat types, because individual crabs were significantly smaller on average in forest sites. This was due to the large numbers of small juvenile crabs recorded in forest sites, whereas small juveniles were almost absent from all agricultural sites. Although numerically unimportant relative to other macroinvertebrates, crabs accounted for at least 70 % of total macroinvertebrate biomass from forest and shaded agricultural sites, and averaged around 40% in open agricultural sites. It is possible that crab reproduction occurs mainly or exclusively in forested areas, which would therefore act as a recruitment source for populations farther downstream in agricultural areas.

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A mid-arm interchange as a potential reproductive isolating mechanism in the medically important Simulium neavei group (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Procunier

Muro²

1994

Genome

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The Simulium neavei group is medically important as a vector of human onchocerciasis and is unique among blackflies because of the attachment to freshwater crabs during parts of the larval and pupal life cycle stages. Detailed larval salivary gland polytene chromosome maps are presented for two taxa designated S. neavei Amani form A and S. neavei Amani form B, which are probably synonymous with the previously described morphospecies, S. nyasalandicum and S. woodi, respectively. Simulium neavei Amani form B differs from S. neavei Amani form A by three paracentric inversions, a large deletion and a chromocentre, while the latter taxon differs from the former one by a mid-arm interchange. The fixed mid-arm interchange (1-tr) between two related taxa is unique among the Simuliidae. Detailed banding analysis of S. neavei Amani form B shows that, relative to S. neavei Amani form A, sections 16a, 16b, and 17c of the short arm of chromosome one (IS) have been inserted into section 69/70 of the short arm of chromosome three (IIIS). Assignment of directionality for this interchange inferred because of the near universality in the Simuliidae of a chromosome III long arm to short arm ratio of 2:1. We propose that the mid-arm interchange acted as a primary isolating mechanism because of the segregational load on F1 heterozygous interchange progeny. The magnitude of the segregational load would be dependent on the frequency of pairing and crossing-over between the transposed interstitial segment and its original counterpart in the chromosome complement. Nonpairing in the transposed region and normal random segregation would presumably lead to a 50% of gametes carrying the duplicated or deficient transposed segment, resulting in a segregation load of 50%. However, crossing-over in the paired interstitial region may greatly increase segregational load as result of multivalent formation at metaphase one (MI) and the generation of dicentric bridge(s) and acentric fragment(s) upon cell division. Such meiotic disjunction irregularities could lead to meiotic arrest, gametic loss and (or) cell restitution, and the eventual formation of polyploid (lethal) zygotes.

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The Hydrochemical and Physical Characteristics of the Breeding Sites of the Simulium neavei Roubaud Group and their Associated Crabs in the Eastern Usambara Mountains in Tanzania

Cited by 4 publications

References 11 publications

Deforestation: effects on vector-borne disease

Deforestation: effects on vector-borne disease

Distribution and abundance of freshwater crabs (Potamonautes spp.) in rivers draining Mt Kenya, East Africa

A mid-arm interchange as a potential reproductive isolating mechanism in the medically important Simulium neavei group (Diptera: Simuliidae)

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