Impact of Urban Agriculture on the Species Distribution and Insecticide Resistance Profile of <i>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</i>and <i>Anopheles coluzzii</i>in Accra Metropolis, Ghana

Malaria incidence in urban areas has generally been low compared to rural areas but recent data indicate that urban malaria remains a public health problem. It is therefore important to understand the factors that promote urban malaria to help formulate future vector control strategies. This study compared Anopheles gambiae s.l. (A. gambiae s.l.) species composition, distribution and insecticide resistance mechanisms between vegetable and non-vegetable growing areas in Accra Metropolis. Four sites were selected within the city of Accra which comprised of two vegetable-growing and two non-vegetable growing areas. WHO susceptibility tests were carried out on adults A. gambiae s.l. reared from larvae collected from the sites. Five insecticides were tested and the A. gambiae complex, resistance genotypes and enzyme activities of each population were characterized. All A. gambiae s.l. populations tested were resistant to all the insecticides, but relatively lower mortalities were observed in the vegetable growing areas. The mortality against 0.05% deltamethrin was 2.6% (Opeibea) and 12.5% (Korle-Bu) for the vegetable growing areas and 36.2% (Achimota) and 38.9% (Mataheko) in the non-vegetable growing areas. Anopheles gambiae s.s. (95% of Opeibea population) and Anopheles coluzzii, (98% of Korle-Bu population) were the dominant species in the vegetable growing areas. The voltage-gated sodium channel (Vgsc-1014F) frequencies of all the populations were similar but the acetylcholinesterase (ace-1) frequencies were significantly lower (p A. gambiae s.l. from Opeibea than from the other areas. The contribution of urban agriculture in the development of insecticide resistance needs to be considered in the formulation of future vector control strategies alongside other domestic usages.

First molecular identification of multiple tick‑borne pathogens in livestock within Kassena‑Nankana,Ghana

The risk of pathogen transmission continues to increase significantly in the presence of tick vectors due to the trade of livestock across countries.In Ghana,there is a lack of data on the incidence of tick-borne pathogens that are of zoonotic and veterinary importance.This study,therefore,aimed to determine the prevalence of such pathogens in livestock using molecular approaches.A total of 276 dry blood spots were collected from cattle(100),sheep(95)and goats(81)in the Kassena-Nankana Districts.The samples were analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction(qPCR)and conventional assays and Sanger sequencing that targeted pathogens including Rickettsia,Coxiella,Babesia,Theileria,Ehrlichia and Anaplasma.An overall prevalence of 36.96%was recorded from the livestock DBS,with mixed infections seen in 7.97%samples.Furthermore,the prevalence of infections in livestock was recorded to be 19.21%in sheep,14.13%in cattle,and 3.62%in goats.The pathogens identified were Rickettsia spp.(3.26%),Babesia sp.Lintan(8.70%),Theileria orientalis(2.17%),Theileria parva(0.36%),Anaplasma capra(18.48%),Anaplasma phagocytophilum(1.81%),Anaplasma marginale(3.26%)and Anaplasma ovis(7.25%).This study reports the first molecular identification of the above-mentioned pathogens in livestock in Ghana and highlights the use of dry blood spots in resource-limited settings.In addition,this research provides an update on tick-borne pathogens in Ghana,suggesting risks to livestock production and human health.Further studies will be essential to establish the distribution and epidemiology of these pathogens in Ghana.