Microsporidia MB (MB), a promising biological control agent, suppresses Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles mosquitoes. This study examined the spatial distribution of MB infection in natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. mosquitoes collected in Nigeria and Niger Republic, and its association with insecticide susceptibility in the mosquitoes. Microsporidia MB has wide geographic distribution across Nigeria and Niger Republic. The overall prevalence of MB in F₀ mosquitoes was 12.25% (95% CI: 7.76–16.75%); 25 mosquitoes out of 204 were positive. Geographic variation was observed, with a higher prevalence (5/15 mosquitoes) in Ebonyi State (33.33%, CI: 9.48–57.19%, Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.008). Infection rates were higher in An. coluzzii mosquitoes (21/133 mosquitoes), estimated at 15.79% (CI: 9.59–21.99%) compared to An. gambiae s.s. mosquitoes (4/71), with approximately 5.63% (CI: 0.27–11.00%, χ² = 4.44; df = 1, p = 0.035). Resistant mosquitoes had a significantly higher prevalence of MB infection than susceptible mosquitos at 28.57% (CI: 16.74–40.40%) with an odds ratio of 3.33 (CI: 1.23–9.03, p = 0.017). These findings suggests that MB can be exploited as an alternative for vector control in Nigeria and Niger, but its possible association with pyrethroid resistance suggests that it should be taken into account as a potential confounder when designing insecticide resistance management strategies.

The occurrence of high levels of heavy metals in drinking water is a significant health concern due to the accompanying health concerns. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the bacterial species and concentration of heavy metals in certain drinking water sources in Ikwo, Ebonyi State. Nigeria. The analysis of metal concentration revealed that the levels of lead, iron, and mercury in the water exceeded the established limits for drinking water quality set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Nigeria standard for drinking water quality (NSDWQ). However, the concentrations of copper, zinc, calcium, and sodium in the water were not statistically significant (P >0.05). The bacteriological count results indicated that the average Total Bacterial Count (TBC) in water samples collected from ponds, rivers, and wells were 5.10 x 10-4, 6.10 x 10-3, and 4.10 x 10-4, respectively. During the experiment, there was a notable disparity (p <0.05) in the bacterial quantities seen in all of the samples. Escherichia coli was the predominant strain, representing 70% of all isolates, as indicated by prevalence surveys. Salmonella and Klebsiella species accounted for 25% and 39% of isolates, respectively. Research on antibiotics discovered that Salmonella, Klebsiella species, and E. coli exhibited significant resistance to popular antibiotics, albeit showing some vulnerability to some ones. The presence of antibiotic resistant microbes in drinking water samples from the research region is a significant public health concern due to the high probability of contracting waterborne illnesses and the associated health hazards. This is particularly worrisome for the immune-compromised residents of the area.

Background: Microsporidia MB (MB), a promising biological control agent suppresses Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles mosquitoes. Methods: This study examined the spatial distribution of MB infection in natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. mosquitoes collected in Nigeria and Niger Republic, and its potential modulation of insecticide susceptibility in the Anopheles mosquitoes. Results: The overall prevalence of MB in F₀ mosquitoes was 12.25% (95% CI: 7.76%-16.75%); 25 mosquitoes out of 204 were positive. Geographic variation was observed, with a higher prevalence (5/15 mosquitoes) in Ebonyi State (33.33%, 95% CI: 9.48%-57.19%, Fisher's exact test, p = 0.008). Infection rates were higher in An. coluzzii mosquitoes (21/133 mosquitoes), estimated at 15.79% (95% CI: 9.59%-21.99%) compared to An. gambiae s.s. mosquitoes (4/67), approximately 5.63% (95% CI: 0.27%-11.00%), χ² = 4.44; df = 1, p = 0.035)]. Resistant mosquitoes had a significantly higher prevalence of MB infection at 28.57% (95% CI: 16.74%-40.40%) and OR of 3.33 (95% CI: 1.23-9.03, p = 0.017) compared with susceptible mosquitoes. Conclusion: MB has wide geographic distribution across Nigeria and Niger Republic. An. coluzzii and resistant mosquitoes are more infected with this fungi. Understanding the geographic and species-specific infection patterns and implication in insecticide resistance could guide targeted vector control strategies using this biological agent.