Publications

Current status of the sterile insect technique for the suppression of mosquito populations on a global scale

September 30, 2024

In recent years, genetic control technologies have gained traction globally as viable alternatives to chemical insecticides, acknowledging their detrimental effects on ecosystems and human health. Notably, the sterile insect technique (SIT) has experienced renewed interest as a method for controlling Aedes mosquitoes, particularly following the Zika virus outbreaks in the Americas and the rising incidence of dengue […]

The effects of climatic and non-climatic factors on malaria mortality at different spatial scales in western Kenya, 2008–2019

September 10, 2024

Despite notable strides made in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality since the year 2000, the disease still remains one of the leading causes of mortality, especially among children aged<5 years. The WHO estimated that globally malaria caused 608 000 deaths in 2022 and 96% (approximately 583 680) of the deaths occurred in the African region. Similar […]

Biogenically synthesized green silver nanoparticles exhibit antimalarial activity

September 3, 2024

The suboptimal efficacies of existing anti-malarial drugs attributed to the emergence of drug resistance dampen the clinical outcomes. Hence, there is a need for developing novel drug and drug targets. Recently silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) constructed with the leaf extracts of Euphorbia cotinifolia were shown to possess antimalarial activity. Therefore, the synthesized AgNPs from Euphorbia cotinifolia (EcAgNPs) were tested for […]

Mating of unfed, engorged, and partially to fully gravid Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) female mosquitoes in producing viable eggs

August 30, 2024

Understanding the relationship between blood-feeding and mating is important in effectively managing the most well-adapted vector insect, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus). Although extensive studies have investigated the behavioural aspects of Aedes such as blood-feeding, mating, and their relationship, several knowledge gaps still exist. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine the possibility of successful mating by unfed, engorged, and […]

Temporal stability of sex ratio distorter prevalence in natural populations of the isopod Armadillidium vulgare

August 7, 2024

Temporal stability was also generally reflected in mitochondrial and nuclear variation. Nevertheless, in a population, a Wolbachia strain replacement coincided with changes in mitochondrial composition but no change in nuclear composition, thus constituting a typical example of mitochondrial sweep caused by endosymbiont rise in frequency. Rare incongruence between Wolbachia strains and mitochondrial haplotypes suggested the occurrence of intraspecific horizontal […]