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    Life Cycle of Pests and Parasites

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    eshimanp

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    Life Cycle of Pests and Parasites

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    eshimanp
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    1 views2 pages

    Life Cycle of Pests and Parasites

    Uploaded by

    eshimanp

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    LIFE CYCLE OF PESTS AND PARASITES

    Pests cause damage to crops and livestock by feeding on them and thereby cause diseases to
    them. Examples of pests are mosquitoes, house flies, tsetse flies, etc.

    Parasites are organisms which live in or on another organism, called a host, usually causing it
    some harm.

    Types of parasites
    For example, tapeworm, a flattened worm that lives in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals,
    lacks an intestine of its own and must absorb pre-digested food from the intestine of its host
    (e.g., human).

    Endoparasites: These parasites live in the bodies of their hosts. Examples of endoparasites are
    tape worm, liver fluke, guinea worm, round worm, etc.

    Ectoparasites: These parasites live on the bodies of their host. Examples of ectoparasites are
    flea, louse, tick, mite etc.

    TYPES OF PEST AND PARASITES OF HUMAN, FARM ANIMALS AND CROPS

    Anopheles mosquito (Malaria)


    Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium (unicellular parasite). The parasite is
    transmitted to humans by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. The Plasmodium parasite
    spends its life cycle partly in humans and partly in mosquitoes.

    Symptoms and treatment of malaria


    The characteristic symptoms of malaria include.
     Cold, headache and weakness
     Shivering
     High fever
     Excessive sweat as a result of drop in temperature
     Prolonged infection results in anaemia and enlarged spleen

    Control and prevention of malaria


    1. The use of insecticides and mosquito repellents.
    2. Destroying the mosquito larvae and pupae by spraying oil on their breeding areas such as
    pools, marshes etc. (The oil causes the larvae and pupae to sink as it lowers the surface
    tension of the water)
    3. Draining mosquito breeding ground.
    4. Introducing fish such as top minnow into the water to feed on the larvae and pupae.
    5. Preventing mosquito bites by sleeping under treated nets, applying repellent cream on the
    body, covering windows with fine-mesh to keep out mosquitoes.
    6. Taking prescribed anti-malarial drugs regularly.

    Schistosomiasis or Bilharziasis
    Schistosomiasis is a widespread disease caused by the infestation of the human body by flukes
    commonly called blood flukes, of the genus Schistosoma. These flukes cause serious diseases.

    Control and prevention


    1. Avoid swimming in or drinking from infected water.
    2. Wear protective clothing such as waterproof boots and gloves when entering infected water.
    3. Apply special ointments to block penetration of the larvae into the skin.
    4. Use drugs such a molluscicides to kill infected water snails.
    5. The drug praziquantel has proved effective in killing Schistosoma in humans

    Trypanosomiasis/sleeping sickness
    Trypanosomiasis is an endemic and sometimes epidemic chronic disease caused by a protozoan
    blood parasite, genus Trypanosoma. Trypanosomiasis is very prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa.
    It affects both humans and farm animals.

    Causes of trypanosomiasis
    The parasite trypanosoma is carried by a blood-sucking insect known as tsetse fly. Tsetse flies
    have mandibles modified into bladelike structures used to pierce skin. They readily feed on the
    blood of humans, domestic animals, and wild game.

    Control of trypanosomiasis
    1. Destruction of the wild game upon which the flies feed.
    2. Clearing of woodlands, and periodic burning to prevent the growth of brush.
    3. Trapping of tsetse flies, control by natural parasites.
    4. Spraying of insecticides in affected areas.
    5. Exposing male tsetse flies to gamma radiation to make them sterile or sexually
    unproductive.
    6. Introducing a large population of sterilized male tsetse flies into a wild population.

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