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Studies on Biological Control of Intermediate Hosts of Schistosomiasis in Western Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

J. P. McMahon
Affiliation:
I East Avenue, Talbot Woods, Bournemouth, England; formerly of the Division of Insect-borne Diseases, Kisumu, Kenya
R. B. Highton
Affiliation:
P.O. Box 258, Malindi, Kenya; Medical Research Council Project, Kisumu, Kenya
T. F. de C. Marshall
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1, England.

Extract

The experiment described was conducted in water impounded by earth dams, for local water-supply, in Nyanza province, Kenya. Control of snails was attempted by introduction of the malacophagous fish Astatoreochromis alluaudi; other species were also introduced. The schedules of introduction of fish were varied between the reservoirs, and one was left as a control without any introduction of fish. The necessity for the establishment of a fish-rearing pond, prior to large-scale stocking, is emphasized.

Assessment of snail control was made by scooping for snails, catches being expressed per man-hour. This was carried out both before and after introduction of fish, over a total period of 15 years. It is concluded that the data indicate that A. alluaudi did reduce the numbers of some species of snails—particularly Biomphalaria pfeifferi and, to a lesser extent and with less certainty, Bulinus spp.

Two other introduced fish species, Tilapia zillii and T. leucosticta, did not appear to be associated with any fall in snail numbers.

Type
Main Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1977

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