Ecology of phlebotomine sand flies in foci of visceral leishmaniasis

The vector biology laboratory at the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology is involved in planning and execution of all the studies related to vectors and transmission. The ecology and population dynamics will be studied in field sites in the different VL foci of Ethiopia. Complementary laboratory studies will include use of colonized sand flies for artificial infections with Leishmania donovani for determining vector potential and for Xenodiagnostic studies designed for incriminating reservoir hosts (human and/or zoonotic) of the parasite.

Personnel

Teshome Gebre-Michael is an associate professor of Medical Entomology at the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He completed his first and second degrees in biological Sciences from the same University. He then trained as a medical entomologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine of the University of London, London, UK, where he worked on sand flies and leishmaniasis of southern Ethiopia for his PhD. After completion of his PhD, he continued his research on sand flies and leishmaniasis in Ethiopia. His research experience also includes black flies and onchocerciasis, mosquitoes and malaria as well as repellents and insecticides of plant origin. T. Gebre-Michael, is currently involved on the transmission aspects of visceral leishmaniasis (ecology, vector incrimination and taxonomy) in northwest Ethiopia.

Meshesha Balkew is an Assistant Professor working in the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology at Addis Ababa University. He obtained his first and second degrees on biological sciences from the same University. He acquired his tertiary degree on molecular biology from the University of Khartoum. His research interest includes ecology, behavior, vector control and insecticide resistance of vectors of malaria and leishmaniasis and he has been involved in teaching and research in these areas for a number of years. Meshsha Balkew is coordinating and participating as a researcher on all aspects of leishmaniasis vectors.

Pertinent publications - Teshome Gebre-Michael

Kebede, Y., Gebre-Michael, T. and Balkew, M. (2010) Laboratory and filed evaluation of neem (Azadirachta indica) A. Juss) and Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.) oils as repellents against Phlebotomus orientalis and P. bergeroti (Dipter: Psychodidae) in Ethiopia Acta Tropica, 113, 145-150

Dugassa, S., Medhin, G., Balkew, M., Seyoum, A., Gebre-Michael, T. (2009). Field investigation on the repellent activity of some aromatic plants by traditional means against Anopheles arabiensis and An. pharoensis (Diptera: Culicidae) around Koka, Central Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 112, 38-42.

Gebre-Micahael, T., Malone, J. B., Balkew, M., Ali, A., Berhe, N., Hailu, A., Herzi., A., A. (2004). Mapping the potential distribution of Phlebotomus martini and P. orientalis (Diptera: Psychodidae), vectors of kala-azar in East Africa by use of geographic information systems. Acta Tropica, 90, 73-86.

Gebre-Michael, T., Balkew, M., Ali, A., Ludovisi, and Gramiccia, M. (2004). The isolation of Leishmania tropica and L. aethiopica from Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Awash valley, northeastern Ethiopia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 98, 64-70.

Gebre-Michael, T and Balkew, M . (2003). Phlebotomus (Paraphlebtomus) gemetchi (Diptera; Psychodidae), a new sand fly species from Ethiopia. Journal of Medical Entomology, 40,141-145.

Taye, A., Gebre-Michael, T. and Tatichef, S. (2000). Onchocerciasis in Gilgel Ghibe River Valley, southwest Ethiopia. East African Medical Journal, 77, 116-120.

Gebre-Michael, T. and Medhin, G. (1997). Morphometric separation of the female of Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus) duboscqi and P. (P.) bergeroti (Diptera: Psychodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology, 34, 383-386.

Gebre-Michael, T. and Lane, R. P. (1996) A new sandfly species, Phlebotomus (Larroussius) ashfordi (Diptera, Psychodidae) from Ethiopia, previously confused with P. (L) aculeatus. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology, 90, 523-531.

Gebre-Michael, T. and Lane, R. P. (1996) The roles of Phlebotomus martini and P. celiae (Diptera: Phlebotominae) as vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in the Aba Roba focus, southern Ethiopia. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 10, 53-62.

Gebre-Michael, T. and Gemetchu, T. (1996) Anthropophilic blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) and onchocerciaisis transmission in southwest Ethiopia. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 10, 44-52.

Gebre-Michael, T., Lane, R.P., Phillips, A., Milligan, P. and Molyneux, D.H. (1994). Contrast in the cuticular hydrocarbons of sympatric Phlebotomus (Synphlebotomus) females (Diptera: Phlebotominae). Bulletin of Entomological Research, 84, 225-231.

Gebre-Michael, T. and Lane, R. (1993) Distinguishing the females of Phlebotomus (Synphlebotomus) martini and P. (S). celiae (Diptera, Phlebotominae) vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in southern Ethiopia. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 83, 353-360.

Pertinent publications - Meshesha Balkew

Kebede, Y., Gebre-Michael, T. and Balkew, M. (2010) Laboratory and filed evaluation of neem (Azadirachta indica) A. Juss) and Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.) oils as repellents against Phlebotomus orientalis and P. bergeroti (Dipter: Psychodidae) in Ethiopia Acta Tropica, 113, 145-150

Dugassa, S., Medhin, G., Balkew, M., Seyoum, A., Gebre-Michael, T. (2009). Field investigation on the repellent activity of some aromatic plants by traditional means against Anopheles arabiensis and An. pharoensis (Diptera: Culicidae) around Koka, Central Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 112, 38-42.

Massebo, F., Tadesse, M., Bekele, T., Balkew, M. and Gebre-Michael, T (2009) Evaluation on larvicidal effects of essential oils of some local plants against Anopheles arabiensis Patton and Aedes aegypti Linnaeus (Diptera, Culicidae) in Ethiopia. African Journal of Biotechnology, 8, 4183-4188

Animut, A., Gebre-Michael, T., Medhin, G., Balkew, M., Bashaye, S. and Seyoum, A. (2008). Assessment of distribution , knowledge and utilization of treated nets in selected malaria prone areas of Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Health and Development, 22: 268-274.

Balkew, M., Elhassen, I., Ibrahim, M., Gebre-Michael, T. and Engeres, H. (2006) Very high DDT-resistant population of Anopheles pharoensis Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) from Gorgora, Northern Ethiopia, Parasite, 13, 327-329.

Balkew, M., Elhassen, I., Ibrahim, M., Gebre-Michael, T. and Engeres, H. (2006) Very high DDT-resistant population of Anopheles pharoensis Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) from Gorgora, Northern Ethiopia, Parasite, 13, 327-329.

Gebre-Micahael, T., Malone, J. B., Balkew, M., Ali, A., Berhe, N., Hailu, A., Herzi., A., A. (2004). Mapping the potential distribution of Phlebotomus martini and P. orientalis (Diptera: Psychodidae), vectors of kala-azar in East Africa by use of geographic information systems. Acta Tropica, 90, 73-86.

Gebre-Michael, T., Balkew, M., Ali, A., Ludovisi, and Gramiccia, M. (2004). The isolation of Leishmania tropica and L. aethiopica from Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Awash valley, northeastern Ethiopia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 98, 64-70.

Gebre-Michael, T and Balkew, M . (2003). Phlebotomus (Paraphlebtomus) gemetchi (Diptera; Psychodidae), a new sand fly species from Ethiopia. Journal of Medical Entomology, 40,141-145.

Balkew, M., Gebre-Michael, T and Hailu, A (2003). Insecticide susceptibility level of Anopheles arabiensis in two agrodevelopment localities in eastern Ethiopia. Parassitologia, 45, 1-3.

Balkew, M., Gebre-Michael, T., Berhe, N., Ali, A. Hailu, A. (2002) Leishmaniasis in the middle course of the Ethiopian Rift Valley. II. Entomological observations. Ethiopian Medical Journal, 40, 271-282

Seyoum, A., Balcha, F., Balkew, M., Ali, A. and Gebre-Michael, T. (2002). Impact of cattle keeping on human biting rate of anopheline mosquitoes and malaria transmission around Ziway, Ethiopia. East African Medical Journal, 79, 485-490.