Seasonal Abundance, Spatial Distribution, and Environmental Determinants of African Trypanosome Vectors in Two Protected Areas of Southwestern Nigeria

Aims

This study investigated the seasonal abundance, spatial distribution, and environmental determinants of African trypanosome vectors (ATVs) in Omo Biosphere Reserve (OBR) and Oba Hills National Park (OHNP), southwestern Nigeria. Study Design: The study was conducted from November 2023 to August 2025 across dominant vegetation types in OHNP and OBR. In OHNP, sampling sites comprised secondary forest, savannah woodland, and riparian forest, while OBR sites included primary forest, secondary forest, and riparian forest. Methodology: Entomological surveys were conducted across major vegetation types using 24 Nzi traps set along a 1-km transect during wet (May–October) and dry (November–April) seasons. Relative humidity, altitude, temperature, and precipitation were recorded, and their associations with vector abundance were assessed using regression analyses.