As part of effort to contribute to the fight against malaria, a team of researchers at Federal University Dutse FUD led by Professor Mustapha Musa Dogara has discovered species of mosquitoes in Jigawa that are resistance to most insecticide treated nets available in the state except the nets treated with a particular insecticide called Primiphosmethyl.
The research was sponsored by the Global Program for Malaria Control under the Survelinace for Mosquitoes Resistance against three classes of insecticides(Pyrethroids, organochlorine, and organophospates) in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Professor Mustapha Dogara said the research became necessary when it became obvious that mosquitoes all over the world were developing resistance to long lasting Insecticides treated bed nets coated with pyrethriod insecticides.
He explained that team had identified mosquito breeding sites and collected samples of lavae from six local governments in Jigawa which includes Dutse,Birnin Kudu, Kafin Hausa, Auyo, Ringim and Taura.
The Lead Researcher said they collect mosquito larvae from these 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.
According to him, the female anopheles mosquitoes with variants such as anopheles gambicae, anopheles collonzi and anopheles arabiansis are all resistance to bed nets coated with Pyrethroids, organnochlorine and organophosphate insecticides.
Professor Dogara further noted that, the research finding shows that only Primiphosmethl insecticides kills mosquitoes 100 per cent and their recommendation was that henceforth only bed nets coated with Primiphosmethl should be deployed to Jigawa state.
He expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdulkarim Sabo Mohammed who was instrumental in winning the 4 million naira research grant from the donors when institutions competed to get the grant and in the end, FUD was chosen.
He said the VC was keen to help staff win research grants as part of the core mandate of the universities.
The Lead Researcher said the team consisted of six entomology investigators, technicians and six mosquito collectors.
COVUSMAN MZ