ISSN 0794-5698

Vectorial Potential of Cockroaches in Transmitting Parasites of Medical Importance in Arkilla,

Sokoto, Nigeria
*A.Y. Bala and H. Sule
Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
[*Corresponding Author email: [email protected]]

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to determine the role of cockroaches as potential carriers of parasites of
medical importance in Arkilla Federal Low Cost, Sokoto, Nigeria from October 2011 to February 2012. A total of
218 cockroaches, comprising of two species were collected from different locations using sweep net and
examined for human intestinal parasites using the concentration method. The dominant cockroach species was
Periplaneta americana 145 (66.51%) followed by Blatta orientalis 73 (33.49%). Six medically important parasites
were encountered in the following order Entamoeba histolytica (40.83%), Ascaris lumbricoides (28.40%),
Enterobius Vermicularis (15.98%), Schistosoma mansoni (9.48%), S. haematobium (2.95%) and Trichuris
trichura (2.36%). There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in the isolates between cockroach
species and stage of development. However significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between sexes
and sites of cockroach collection. Therefore, as cockroaches continue to constitute important reservoir for
infectious pathogens, control measures instituted in toilets, kitchens; and targeting especially the females and
both stages of development of cockroach could substantially minimize the spread of infectious diseases in the
study area.
Keywords: vectors, cockroaches, parasites, medical, Arkilla
INTRODUCTION
Cockroaches are the most abundant and obnoxious
non-biting insect pests in residential buildings,
hospitals, hostels, hotels and restaurants (Piper and
Antonelli, 2012). They feed indiscriminately on human
food and sewage. When cockroaches run over food,
they contaminate the food by leaving an oily liquid
that has offensive odour or bacteria that can cause
food poisoning (Brenner et al., 1987). Some parasites
have been found in the external and internal body
parts of cockroaches. Findings have also shown that
exposure to cockroach antigens may play an
important role in Asthma related health problems
(Montressor et al., 1998).

Czajka et al., 2003). Cockroaches feed on garbage

and sewage and so have copious opportunities to
disseminate human pathogens (Cotton et al., 2000;
Pai et al., 2005). In addition, their nocturnal and filthy
habits made them ideal carriers of various pathogenic
microorganisms (Allen, 1987).
This work was therefore designed to isolate and
identify parasites from external surface of
cockroaches in Arkilla Federal Low cost, Sokoto. The
findings may be of immense benefit to the residents
of the area and residents of other areas within and
outside Nigeria, as it will help to educate them on the
dangers pose to them by the presence of
cockroaches in their houses. The study will also
inform them of the different parasites probably
vectored by the cockroaches in the study area.

There is an unprecedented increase in cockroach

population in public places all over the world.
Particularly in Nigeria, the risk to human health
arising from cockroach infestations have been
reported (Allen, 1987). Cockroaches are abundant in
most homes in Nigeria, where they are actually called
landlords in homes.
Cockroaches are among the most notorious pests of
premises, they frequently feed on human faeces, and
therefore they can disseminate cysts of enteric
protozoans in the environment if such faeces are
contaminated. They can not only contaminate food by
leaving droppings and bacteria that can cause food
poisoning (Che Ghani et al., 1993) but they can also
transmit bacteria, fungi, and other pathogenic
microorganisms in infested areas (Kopanic, 1994;

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study area
The study area was Arkilla Federal Low Cost (latitude
130 1 26N and longitude 50 1148E) of Wamakko
Local Government Area, Sokoto State. The study
area has both hot and cold seasons. The hot season
reaches its peak between March and April, while the
cold season has its peak between November and
February. The cold season is always accompanied by
dust. The state experiences a short rainy season
(JuneSeptember) and a long dry season (October
May). The rainfall (wet season) starts April and June
and ends around October. The rainfall is usually

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Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (June, 2012), 20(2): 111-115

Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (June, 2012), 20(2): 111-115

erratic and associated with periodic drought. The

mean maximum temperature is about 400C and 150C
mean minimum (Yakubu and Singh, 2001). Arkilla is
mainly populated by HausaFulani and a mixture of
other languages like Yoruba, Igbo, Igala, Nupe, etc.

0.05) in the occurrence of parasites in the two

cockroach species (Table 1).
Medically important parasites encountered during the
survey include cysts of Entamoeba histolytica, ova of
Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichura, and eggs of
Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium and
Enterobius vermicularis. There was no significant
difference (p > 0.05) in the occurrence of these
parasites on the external parts of the cockroaches,
although E. histolytica was the most encountered
(40.83%), followed by A. lumbricoides (28.40%), then
E. Vermicularis (15.98%), S. mansoni (9.48%), S.
haematobium (2.95%) and finally T. trichura (2.36%)
(Figure 1). Also it was found that the female roaches
with 90.20% carrying parasites, was significantly (p <
0.05) more vectorial than males with 66.38% infection
(Table 2).

Sample collection
A total of 218 cockroaches were caught, using sweep
net, from different locations (refuse dumps, toilets,
kitchens, parlours and bedrooms) in the study area,
May December 2011. Each cockroach caught was
placed in a sterile sample bottle separately, and
transported to the Zoology Laboratory of the Usmanu
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Each cockroach was
euthanized alone in a killing jar using choloroform
and then examined under the dissecting microscope.
The sex, stage of development, and species of
cockroaches were identified with the help of an
entomologist using standard taxonomic keys.

Table 1: Number of Contaminated Cockroaches in

the Study Area
Species
No. Examined No. Positive
P. Americana 145
112 (77.24)
B. orientalis
73
57 (78.08)
Total
218
169 (77.52)

Isolation and Identification of Parasites

After identification, each cockroach was placed in a
test tube containing 2mls of normal saline. The test
tube was shaken vigorously for two minutes to detach
any parasite or their stages from the external body of
the cockroach. Thereafter, the fluid was transferred to
a centrifuge tube and centrifuged at 3000rpm for 5
minutes. After decanting the excess top fluid, the
residual deposit was placed on a clean glass slide,
covered with a cover slip and stained with Lugols
iodine and viewed under the x40 microscope
objective lens. The parasites and/or their stages
encountered were identified and counted using keys
of Cheesbrough (1998).

Values in parenthesis are Percentage of Contaminated

cockroaches in the study area

Table 2: Distribution of Medically Important Parasites

by Gender of Cockroach in the Study Area
Species
No. Examined No. Positive
Males
116
77 (66.37)
Females
102
92 (90.19)
Values in parenthesis are Percentage of Contaminated
cockroaches in the study area

Statistical Analysis
Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the
prevalence while Chi square analysis was used to
determine association and significant differences
between the parameters tested at p 0.05.

45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%

RESULTS
A total of 218 cockroaches were studied, all were
identified as Periplaneta american (145) and Blatta
orientalis (73), males (116) females (102); 182 were
adults while 36 were at nymph stage. The results
show that, out of the 218 cockroaches caught and
examined for the presence of parasitic stages, 169
were found to be carrying different stages of
parasites, representing 77.52%. Species specific
prevalence shows that, out of the 169 cockroaches,
112 representing (77.24%) were the American
cockroaches (P. americana), while the remaining 57
(78.08%) were oriental cockroaches (B. orientalis).
There was no statistically significant difference (p >

40.83%

28.40%

15.98%
9.48%
2.95%

2.36%

Parasite recovered

Figure 1: Recovery rate of parasites from the two

cockroach species in the study area

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Bala and Sule: Vectorial Potential of Cockroaches in Transmitting Parasites of Medical Importance in ..........

The developmental stages of the cockroaches were

equal in their vetorial potential (p > 0.05), although
157 (83.51%) adults were carrying parasites as
against 17 nymphs (47.22%) (Table 3).

associated with the locations where the cockroaches

were caught (p < 0.05) (Figure 2).
Table 3: Occurrence of Medically Important Parasites
in the Different Developmental Stages of the
Cockroaches in the Study Area
Species
No. Examined No. Positive
Adults
182
152 (83.52)
Nymphs
36
17 (47.22)

Based on the location, the results showed that

85.21% of the roaches caught in toilets carried
parasites, followed by those caught in kitchens
79.41%, then refuse dumps 55.55%, bedrooms with
44.44% and the finally those caught in parlours
having 37.50%. Vectorial potential was significantly

85.21%

Values in parenthesis are Percentage of Contaminated

cockroaches in the study area

Bedroom

44.44%
79.41%

Kithcen
Parlour

55.55%
37.50%

Refuse Dump
Toilet

Figure 2: Parasite recovery rate from cockroaches in different locations of the study area
DISCUSSION
The importance of cockroaches, as carriers of
parasitic worms, cysts, or eggs, was based on some
reports about the presence of parasitic forms on or in
cockroaches (Greenberg, 1973). The findings from
this study revealed that cockroaches irrespective of
the species do play a significant role in transmitting
parasitic diseases, as more than 70% of the two
cockroach species vectored parasites and are
capable of transmitting them to humans or animals.
As reported by Iwuala and Onyeka (1977), these two
species of cockroaches are common in Nigeria. The
overall prevalence of 77.52% recorded in this study
seemed to be higher than 67% reported by Ajero et
al. (2011) in Owerri, Nigeria, but is lower than 98%
observed in Egypt by El-Sherbini and El-Shaebini
(2011). The low prevalence in this study compared to
that of Egypt, may be as reported by El-Sherbini and
El-Sherbini (2011), that the area they conducted their
research severely lacked hygiene services. According
to them, the area they conducted their study had
many piles of faecal matter in nearby mangrove
swamp. This might have caused the high rate of
contaminated cockroaches observed in their study.

have shown these parasites to be common in

different localities, especially in those areas where
personal hygiene is lacking. In addition, the presence
of E. vermicularis infestation indicates that the
cockroaches had contact with infected patients or
contaminated clothes which emphasises their
vectorial potential for parasitic diseases (Chan et al.,
2004). The high occurrence of E. histolytica over
other parasites, observed in this study, might
probably be because of the resistance conferred by
the cyst wall, which makes the cysts to survive days
to weeks in the external environment and probably be
vectored by cockroaches and other synanthropic
insects. Similarly, A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura, S.
mansoni and haematobium, are causative agents of
human helminthiasis while E. histolytica causes
Amoebiasis. Since this report revealed the presence
of these pathogens from the exoskeleton of roaches
in a developing tropical environment like Arkilla
Federal Low Cost, Sokoto, it becomes imperative to
urgently institute control measures on these insects
through massive public health/enlightenment
education on improving the existing standard of
environmental sanitary conditions.

The lack of significant difference in the occurrence of

the different species of parasites in this study might
possibly be an indication that all these parasites can
equally be transmitted by the cockroaches
irrespective of the species. Many reports in Nigeria

The fact that the female roaches were significantly

more vectorial than the males, may probably be
attributed to the observation that they roam more
than the males in search of both food and sites to lay
their eggs. They come in contact with contaminated

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Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (June, 2012), 20(2): 111-115

materials as they roam, making them more

vulnerable to be contaminated with pathogens.

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Findings from this study also revealed that the

different developmental stages of the cockroaches
share equal potential in transmitting parasites of
medical importance. This is observed by the lack of
significant difference between such parameters.
Therefore, control measures should target both
stages.
Worthy of note is that vectorial potential significantly
associated with the source of cockroaches in this
study. The higher number of cockroaches vectoring
parasites observed in the toilets is understandable
because of the fact that cockroaches are more
accessible to toilets where contamination with faecal
matter is most likely. However, that toilets are
followed by kitchens is quite insinuative and alarming.
People have to be careful not to allow cockroaches
accessibility to kitchens, as they have the potential to
vector and transmit parasites. They should also
ensure they cover food and food utensils to reduce
the rate of transmission of parasites by cockroaches.
From this investigation it can be concluded that over
70% of the cockroach population was contaminated.
After resting and contaminating the environment with
infective matter carried on the body surface, they can
transmit the infection to the community, at the rate of
77.52%. The cysts of E. histolytica, ova of A.
lumbricoides, T. trichiura, and eggs of S. mansoni, S.
haematobium and E. vermicularis were observed in
the external body parts of the cockroaches. The
discovery of A. lumbercoides, T. trichiura on the
insects supported the supposition that cockroaches
play a significant role in the epidemiology of soil
transmitted helminthes (STH), which could carry and
spread pathogens to other places, since they are able
to travel up to 3 miles an hour from and to unsanitary
sites (Rivault et al., 1993). Cockroaches constitute
important reservoir for infectious pathogens and also
transmit parasites; therefore, the control of
cockroaches could substantially minimize the spread
of infectious diseases.
Acknowledgment
We are thankful to the residents of Arkilla Federal
Low Cost for their understanding and support to
conduct this research.
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