Many researches have been conducted in malaria epidemiology and mosquito ecology globally especially in the tropics and sub-tropical regions where malaria is endemic. These efforts have resulted into findings that are capable of tackling malaria parasite burden and the Anopheles vectorial capacity. The expected outcome has been in reduction of malaria cases and to promoting socio-economic development of concerned nations. The disease, though preventable still remains deadly in sub-saharan Africa.
Keeping in mind the environmental factors determining the transmission of this disease, I decided to, among other research works which mostly centered on distribution and abundance of malaria vectors and prevalence of the parasites, dig more to population dynamics and monitoring Plasmodium infection in mosquito vectors and into life expectancies and survival rates of the vectors so as to give us holistic insight into the science-based and economic intervention strategies that might be employed by the policy makers.
This book, thus has been written as a report of research conducted during rainy and dry seasons in a savanna ecological zone of Nigeria, titled ‘Population Dynamics, Infectivity and Longevity of Anopheles mosquitoes in relation to Malaria Transmission in Bali District, Taraba state, Nigeria’ for the benefits of students, researchers and Policy makers. It is expected that the findings therein would be clearly understood, utilize and applied appropriately for the benefit of humanity.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Abuja/Federal Polytechnic Bali for sponsorship of the research. I appreciate the efforts of the Assistant Researchers- Teaching and Technical staff of the Science Laboratory Technology department whose names are mentioned as Co-authors for contribution in field work and also Tolulope Oyeniyi of Nigerian Institute of Medical Research for assisting in Laboratory/Biochemical analysis of mosquitoes.
I will not forget Taraba state College of Agriculture, Jalingo who supplied me the meteorological data used in this study, and my mentors in Modibbo Adama University, Yola Adamawa state, Nigeria- Professors E.B Alo and R.S Naphtali thank you for academic support. To my family thank you for patience. Above all, Thank God for everything.
