• Attractant and repellent properties of Senna didymobotrya plant extracts to Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus 

  Diana, Wairimu Kinyua; Xavier, Cheseto; Bargul, Joel Ltilitan; Meshack, Amos Obonyo; Komivi, Senyo Akutse; Masiga, Daniel (Veterinary Parasitology, 2024)

  The growing challenge of acaricide resistance and geographical range expansion of invasive tick species demands other interventions, like plant-based alternatives, for sustainable tick control. Leaves, flowers, seedpods, ...
• First report of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) on Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Egypt 

  Hosam, Mohamed Khalil Hammam El‑Gepaly; Samira, A. Mohamed; Francis, Obala; Manal, F. Abdelall; Thaer, Yaseen (Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, 2024)

  Background The polyphagous alien invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae),invaded Africa and has so far spread across the continent, causing devastating impacts on maize production. In ...
• Coxiella burnetii serostatus in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) is associated with the presence of C. burnetii DNA in attached ticks in Laikipia County, Kenya 

  Rooney, Tess; Fèvre, Eric M; Villinger, Jandouwe; Brenn- White, Maris; Cummings, Charles O.; Chai, Daniel; Kamau, Joseph; Kiyong'a, Alice; Getange, Dennis; Ochieng, Dickens O.; Kivali, Velma; Zimmerman, Dawn; Rosenbaum, Marieke; Nutter, Felicia B.; Deem, Sharon L. (Zoonoses Public Health, 2024)

  Aims: Q fever is a globally distributed, neglected zoonotic disease of conservation and public health importance, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Coxiella burnetii normally causes subclinical infections in ...
• Tissue-specific localization of tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from camels in Kenya: insights into vector competence 

  Khogali, Rua; Armanda, Bastos; Bargul, Joel; Getange, Dennis; Kabii, James; Masiga, Daniel; Villinger, Jandouwe (Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2024)

  Background: Tick-borne pathogen (TBP) surveillance studies often use whole-tick homogenates when inferring tick-pathogen associations. However, localized TBP infections within tick tissues (saliva, hemolymph, salivary ...
• A review on candidate genes associated with sheep fertility traits: Implications for genetic improvement of indigenous sheep breeds in developing countries 

  Getaneh, Mezgebu; Taye, Mengistie; Alemayehu, Kefyalew; Haile, Aynalem; Getachew, Tesfaye; Ayalew, Workneh (Ecological Genetics and Genomics, 2024)

  Reproductive traits of sheep are under the control of both the environment and genetics. Moreover, most of these traits have low heritability, are sex-limited, and expressed later in the animal’s life, which makes it ...
• Towards accurate spatial prediction of Glossina pallidipes relative densities at country-scale in Kenya 

  Gachoki, Stella; Groen, Thomas A.; Vrieling, Anton; Skidmore, Andrew; Masiga, Daniel (Ecological Informatics, 2024)

  Vector-borne diseases, like those transmitted by tsetse flies, pose a significant global public health threat.Reducing vector populations is a promising strategy for disease control, especially in the case of tsetsetransmitted ...
• Multi-omics analyses reveal rumen microbes and secondary metabolites that are unique to livestock species 

  Omondi, O.Victor; Bosire, O.Geoffrey; Onyari, M. John; Kibet, Caleb; Mwasya, Samuel; Onyonyi, N. Vanessa; Merid, Negash Getahun (MSystems, 2024)

  Ruminant livestock, including cattle, sheep, goats, and camels, possess a distinctive digestive system with complex microbiota communities critical for feed conversion and secondary metabolite production, including greenhouse ...
• Viral diversity and blood-feeding patterns of Afrotropical Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) 

  Ogola, Edwin; Armanda, Bastos; Inga, Slothouwer; Getugi, Caroline; Osalla, Josephine; Omoga, C. A.Dorcus; Ondifu, O. Dickens; Rosemary, Sang; Baldwyn, Torto; Sandra, Junglen; Tchouassi, David P. (Frontiers in Microbiology, 2024)

  ntroduction: Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of arboviral pathogens that primarily affect livestock represented by Schmallenberg virus (SBV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) ...
• Why are biting flies attracted to blue objects? 

  Santer, Roger D.; Akanyeti, Otar; Endler, John A.; Galván, Ismael; Okal, Michael N. (Proceedings of The Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 2023)

  Diurnal biting flies are strongly attracted to blue objects. This behaviour is widely exploited for fly control, but its functional significance is debated. It is hypothesized that blue objects resemble animal hosts; blue ...
• Small-scale field evaluation of transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons and sandals for the control of malaria vectors in rural Tanzania 

  Arnold, S. Mmbando; Winifrida, P. Mponzi; Halfan, S. Ngowo; Khamis, Kifungo; Robert, Kasubiri; Rukiyah, M. Njalambaha; Tegemeo, Gavana; Alvaro, E. Eiras; Elis, P. A. Batista; Marceline, F. Finda; Onyango, P. Sangoro; Fredros, O. Okumu (Malaria Journal, 2023)

  Background Early-evening and outdoor-biting mosquitoes may compromise the effectiveness of frontline malaria interventions, notably insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-cost ...
• Localization and tissue tropism of the symbiont Microsporidia MB in the germ line and somatic tissues of Anopheles arabiensis 

  Edward, E. Makhulu; Thomas, Onchuru; Joseph, Gichuhi; Fidel, G. Otieno; Joseph, N. Muthoni; Lizette, Koekemoer; Jeremy, K. Herren (MBio, 2023)

  The Anopheles symbiont, Microsporidia MB, is maternally inherited and has a strong malaria transmission-blocking phenotype in Anopheles arabiensis. Microsporidia MB is also vertically transmitted, sexually transmitted, and ...
• Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes sp.) larvae as a nutrient rich delicacy: a comparison of nutrient profiles from four counties in western Kenya 

  Egonyu, J.P.; Olubowa, R.R.; Tanga, C.M.; Cheseto, X.; Subramanian, S. (Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2023)

  The nutritional value of larvae of the rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes sp., a popular delicacy and source of animal feed in western Kenya is unknown. This study aimed to determine the nutritional composition of Oryctes sp. ...
• Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting cattle in coastal Kenya harbor a diverse array of tick-borne pathogens 

  Joseph, Wang’ang’a Oundo; Shewit, Kalayou; Quirine, ten Bosch; Jandouwe, Villinger; Constantianus, J.M. Koenraadt; Daniel, Masiga (Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2023)

  Ticks and the microbes they transmit have emerged in sub-Saharan Africa as a major threat to veterinary and public health. Although progress has been made in detecting and identifying tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) across ...
• History of Arbovirus Research in Kenya 

  Maria, Gorreti Onyango; Victor, Ofula; Jandouwe, Villinger; LaBeaud, A. Desiree; Segenet, Kelemu; Rosemary, Sang; Joel, Lutomiah (History of Arbovirology: Memories from the Field, 2023)

  The aim of this book chapter is to review the history of research into arboviruses that are endemic to Kenya. The viruses discussed involve both mosquito- and tick-borne viruses, as well as mentioning other viruses such ...
• Myth or truth: investigation of the jumping ability of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) 

  Ayako, Hyuga; Paul, Ouma; Abneel, K. Matharu; Jürgen, Krücken; Satoshi, Kaneko; Kensuke, Goto; Ulrike, Fillinger (Journal of Medical Entomology, 2023)

  Female sand fleas (Tunga penetrans Linnaeus, 1758, Siphonaptera: Tungidae) cause a severe parasitic skin disease known as tungiasis. T. penetrans is a small flea, measuring less than 1 mm in length. The females of this ...
• Transferability of tsetse habitat models between different regions in Kenya and Rwanda 

  Stella, Gachoki; Anton, Vrieling; Thomas, A. Groen; Andrew, Skidmore; Daniel, Masiga (Ecological Modelling, 2023)

  Accurate and reliable information on the distribution of tsetse habitats is crucial for the effective management of African Trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. However, conducting large-scale surveillance of tsetse flies ...
• Friend or Foe: Symbiotic Bacteria in Bactrocera dorsalis–Parasitoid Associations 

  Rehemah, Gwokyalya; Christopher, Weldon; Jeremy, Keith Herren; Joseph, Gichuhi; Edward, Makhulu; SHEPARD, NDLELA; Samira, Abuelgasim Mohamed (MDPI - Biology, 2023)

  Parasitoids are promising biocontrol agents of the devastating fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. However, parasitoid performance is a function of several factors, including host-associated symbiotic bacteria. Providencia ...
• National prevalence and risk factors for tungiasis in Kenya 

  Lynne, Elson; Christopher, Kamau; Sammy, Koech; Christopher, Muthama; George, Gachomba; Erastus, Sinoti; Elwyn, Chondo; Eliud, Mburu; Miriam, Wakio; Jimmy, Lore; Marta, Maia; Ifedayo, Adetifa; Benedict, Orindi; Phillip, Bejon; Ulrike, Fillinger (Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 2023)

  Background Tungiasis is a highly neglected tropical skin disease caused by the sand fea, Tunga penetrans, the female of which burrows into the skin, causing pain and itching. The disease occurs throughout South America and ...
• Chemical Ecology and Management of Dengue Vectors 

  Baldwyn, Torto; David, P. Tchouassi (Annual Review of Entomology, 2023)

  Dengue, caused by the dengue virus, is the most widespread arboviral infectious disease of public health significance globally. This review explores the communicative function of olfactory cues that mediate host-seeking, ...
• Trypanosomes infection, endosymbionts, and host preferences in tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) collected from Akagera park region, Rwanda: A correlational xenomonitoring study 

  Gashururu, Richard S; Maingi, Ndichu; Githigia, M. Samuel; Getange, Dennis O.; Ntivuguruzwa, Jean B; Habimana, Richard; Giuliano, Cecchi; Gashumba, James; Bargul, Joel L.; Masiga, Daniel K. (One Health, 2023)

  Akagera National Park and its surroundings are home to tsetse flies and a number of their mammalian hosts in Rwanda. A One-health approach is being used in the control and surveillance of both animal and human try-panosomosis ...

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