ABSTRACT

Malaria is mostly a disease of hot climate. Malaria is a public health problem in many countries of the world especially in tropical and subtropical regions. An 85% of estimated annual 225 million cases of malaria worldwide are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, are recorded within the African region. It also accounts for approximately one million deaths annually and 89% of the malaria death occurring in Africa South of the Sahara. In Nigeria, malaria is highly endemic accounting for 60% of outpatient visit. Mosquito coil is a vector control option used to prevent malaria in low income countries, while some studies have addressed the issue of the use of mosquito coil, additional research required to increase knowledge on the adverse health effects caused by the prolonged use of mosquito coils. Hundreds of cases of insect-borne diseases occur every year, representing a major threat to global public health. Vector-borne diseases account for around 17% of the estimated global burden of infectious diseases. This study evaluates the effect of mosquito coil on diabetic rats. In this study the investigation of the toxicological effects of fumes from locally manufactured mosquito coil (with pyrethroids: d-allethrin as active ingredients) on rats. The rats were divided into four groups, five rats in each group. Two groups of the rats (group 2 and group 3) were administered to alloxan according to their weight, and there was a significant increase in their blood glucose level. One normal and one diabetic were not exposed to mosquito coil which serve as a control while the other two (normal and diabetic) were exposed to mosquito coil. From the result, it shows that the use of mosquito coil is very detrimental to health though the aim of using it is to fight against mosquito. The side effect of the use of mosquito coil is greater than it use in fighting mosquito. The side effect include; significant (p<0.05) increase in MDA level in the diabetic rats while there is no significant increase in the normal rats and significant (p<0.05) increase in glucose level in diabetic rats while nothing happens to the normal rats. Interestingly there is no significant (p>0.05) increase in level of vitamin E in all the groups, this is because of the antioxidant nature of the water soluble vitamin. Therefore vitamin E is recommended for all individual because it helps protect the system and maintain the free radicals. The histological assessment of the liver in groups 3 and 4 showed a marked degeneration and necrosis of the hepatocytes. The observed lesions are consistent with hepatotoxicity. In these same groups, the kidney showed the normal histology for laboratory rats. This suggests that the rats exposed to mosquito coil irrespective of the dose employed in administering the toxicant, have a hepatotoxic effect, but does not have a renotoxic effect. Diabetic patients should stop using mosquito coil as a means of fighting mosquito, other means like using mosquito net is preferable.