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Factors affecting the propensity of tsetse flies to enter houses and attack humans inside : increased risk of sleeping sickness in warmer climates
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Vale, Glyn A., Hargrove, John W., Chamisa, Andrew, Hall, D. R. , Mangwiro, Clement and Torr, Stephen J. (2013) Factors affecting the propensity of tsetse flies to enter houses and attack humans inside : increased risk of sleeping sickness in warmer climates. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Volume 7 (Number 4). Article number e2193. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002193
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WRAP_Torr_journal.pntd.0002193.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (701Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002193
Abstract
Background:
Sleeping sickness, or human African trypanosomiasis, is caused by two species of Trypanosoma brucei that are transmitted to humans by tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) when these insects take a bloodmeal. It is commonly assumed that humans must enter the normal woodland habitat of the flies to become infected, but recent studies found that tsetse frequently attack humans inside buildings. Factors affecting human/tsetse contact in buildings need identification.
Methodology/Principal Findings:
In Zimbabwe, tsetse were allowed access to a house via an open door. Those in the house at sunset, and those alighting on humans in the house during the day, were caught using hand-nets. Total catches were unaffected by: (i) the presence of humans in the house and at the door, (ii) wood smoke from a fire inside the house or just outside, (iii) open windows, and (iv) chemicals simulating the odor of cattle or of humans. Catches increased about 10-fold with rising ambient temperatures, and during the hottest months the proportion of the total catch that was taken from the humans increased from 5% to 13%. Of the tsetse caught from humans, 62% consisted of female G. morsitans morstans and both sexes of G. pallidipes, i.e., the group of tsetse that normally alight little on humans. Some of the tsetse caught were old enough to be effective vectors.
Conclusion/Significance:
Present results confirm previous suggestions that buildings provide a distinctive and important venue for transmission of sleeping sickness, especially since the normal repellence of humans and smoke seems poorly effective in such places. The importance of the venue would be increased in warmer climates.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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| Subjects: | Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QL Zoology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Population, Evidence & Technologies (PET) |
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| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | African trypanosomiasis, Trypanosoma brucei | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases | ||||
| Publisher: | Public Library of Science | ||||
| ISSN: | 1935-2727 | ||||
| Official Date: | 2013 | ||||
| Dates: |
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| Date of first compliant deposit: | 25 December 2015 | ||||
| Volume: | Volume 7 | ||||
| Number: | Number 4 | ||||
| Page Range: | Article number e2193 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002193 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Open Access | ||||
| Funder: | UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | ||||
| Grant number: | A70598 |
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