Study found mosquitoes resistant to insecticides in Jigawa

A team of researchers at the Federal University Dutse (FUD), has discovered some species of mosquitos that are resistant to available insecticide treated nets in the state, except those treated with a particular insecticide called Primiphosmethyl.

Alhaji Abdullahi Yahaya-Bello, the university’s Chief Information Officer, announced this in a statement in Dutse.

Yahaya-Bello said the research, sponsored by the Global Programme for Malaria Control under the Surveillance for Mosquitoes Resistance against three classes of insecticides (Pyrethroids, Organochlorine, and Organophospates), was conducted in the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.

“As part of effort to contribute to the fight against malaria, a team of researchers at Federal University Dutse, led by Prof. Mustafa Dogara, has discovered species of mosquitoes in Jigawa that are resistant to most insecticide treated nets available in the state except the nets treated with a particular insecticide called Primiphosmethyl,” Yahaya-Bello said.

He quoted the lead researcher as saying the research was imperative when it became obvious that mosquitoes all over the world were developing resistance to Long-Lasting Insecticides Treated Mosquito  Nets (LLITN) coated with pyrethriod insecticides.

The chief information officer added that the team identified mosquitoes breeding sites and collected  samples of larvae from six local government areas of Jigawa namely Dutse, Birnin-Kudu, Kafin-Hausa, Auyo, Ringim and Taura.

“The lead researcher said they collected mosquito larvae from the sites and grew them to adulthood in the laboratory where they were sorted into males and females before conducting the test to see their resistance to insecticides.

“Dogara further explained that the female anopheles mosquitoes with variants such as anopheles gambicae, anopheles collonzi and anopheles arabiansis were all resistant to bed nets coated with pyrethroids, organnochlorine and organophosphate insecticides,” he said.

According to him, the research finding showed that only Primiphosmethl insecticides kills mosquitoes 100 per cent.

Yahaya-Bello added the team recommended that henceforth, only bed nets coated with Primiphosmethl should be deployed to the state.

He further reported Dogara as expressing gratitude to the Vice- Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed, who was instrumental to the winning of the N4 million research grant from donors.

Various institutions competed to get the grant, but at the end, the FUD was selected.

“The VC is keen to help staff win research grants because it’s part of the core mandate of universities”.

The team consisted of six entomology investigators, technicians and six mosquito collectors.

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir