Morphological differentiation of vectors of onchocerciasis, Simulium damnosum complex, in south-east Nigeria

The reliable identification of biting adult females of the sibling species of the Simulium damnosum complex transmitting the different species and strains of Onchocerca volvulus is very essential in studies of transmission and epidemiology of human onchocerciasis. A novel technique for morphological differentiation has already been developed for the Onchocerciasis Control Programme area of West Africa and this method was tested on specimens obtained both from human baits and pupae rearing in the south-east of Nigeria. A total of 126 adult female flies, belonging to the Simulium squamosum sub-complex and the Simulium damnosum sub-complex were identified from 8 sites. The morphological identifications were compared with the cytotaxonomic identifications of larvae collected within the same period at the same site. The method was found to be reasonably reliable. Keywords: Simulium damnosum complex, onchocerciasis, differentiation; Onchocerca volvulus.Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (1) 2008 pp. 61-66