THE EFFECT OF MOSQUITO ON MAN: A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED AREAS IN NJIKOKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE

ABSTRACT
The significance and effects of mosquito on man can never be overemphasized. No human being or other primates can live without good health, as the “adage” says that health is wealth. The aim of this study is to find out or reveal the effect of mosquito on man. It is also to create awareness to the society on the danger of mosquito, especially Njikoka local government area of Anambra State.
Four selected villages were used for this study. In each of the village’s four hundred villages of males and females ranges from 20-40 years, and 40 and above were served with questionnaires, which is the basic tool for the study. The finding revealed that most of the localities were not appropriately informed on the effect of mosquito on man.
The effect of these findings was discussed suggestion and preventives or control measures were recommended.

1.1 Background of the Study
Globally, mosquitoes without questioned are the most important of the insects. At present time over 200 million people in over a hundred and subtropical countries of the world live under the threat of mosquito. According to world Health Organization (WHO) it is estimated that mosquito causes or contributes to the deaths of between one and three million people each year, mostly children under five years of age. Generally, in science, the study of insects (Etymology) cannot be completed without the broad heading.
Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes play a very important role in any scientific discipline. It is noticeable, however, that an initiative insight into the nature and life circle of any scientific organism only comes to those who have a sound basic of observation and scientific discipline behind them. For one to be successful in study of mosquitoes and its effects on man a special attention has to be paid on the study if its habits and life circle. Since special consideration is given to the environment in which these species of organism dwells, its role and mode of breeding should also be considered as these affect the life span of man.

In view of the above differences and diversity, this work will be limited to the study of mosquitoes and its effects on man. Many of mankind’s idealist enemies are found among the 85,000 species of stagnant and mosquitoes in “older dipteral” south largest of the insects groups. Most members of the order have a single pair of wings, hence the name dipteral, meaning two lunged, most of them, just like the mosquitoes also posses tubular mouths which can piece the human skin for nourishing blood. The loss of blood is small, but as the insect is sipping, virus and other pathogens may pass from the insects into the human host. Sickness such as malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis is transmitted through this ways.

There are about fifty species of the family, culiacdac many them are called Gnats. They are thin flies with long fragile legs and narrow wings. Only the female however pieces the skins of mammals and suck blood, the male defer from the female in having long pulps and feather like analenae. In Njiokoka local government Area of Anambra and Nigeria in general, there are currently three species of mosquitoes all of which are potential malaria, elephantiasis and yellow fever transmitters. The spotted gnat (Anopheles maculipennis) is an example of the type of mosquitoes the rest with its abdomen raised at an angle and it head in line with the rest of the body. It has spotted wings and one sub-species (athroparus) which breeds in blackish water in coastal district. The common gnat (anlex pipien) is a very abundant mosquitoes near stagnant water and a type which rest with its abdomen parallel with the surface on which it is resting and it head lowered at an angle. Aedes albopictus is one of the largest and fiercest mosquitoes. It has spotted wings and white ringed legs and body. The females attack man and other mammals’ literate in building, something and rest in the same position and has a very similar life history to that of a common gnat.

The mosquitoes as a member of the “orde” diptera has no posterior pair of wings but the posterior pair is represented only a pair of small club shaped structures, the halters. These look useless, but this cannot fly without them. A fly with its halters cut off can still beat its wings at the normal frequency and through the normal angle, but it lose control in the air, it a straight course and aliable to fall on its back. These halteres have an important function in the control of flight.