Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Glossina Pallidipes In Nguruman National Park (kenya).

Abstract: Background: Glossina pallidipes is a significant vector of trypanosomiasis for humans and livestock across Sub-Saharan Africa. Nguruman national park in Kenya is regarded as a potential location for targeted vector control activity. We screened flies from three locations in Nguruman in 2003, 2009, and 2015 using 13 microsatellite loci to assess population structures of G. pallidipes. Methods: We acquired Tsetse samples from three sites across Nguruman in Kenya at three time points. We then performed genetic analyses on 267 flies using 13 microsatellite loci and evaluated genetic structure of Tsetses across a geographic distance of about 22 km and changes associated with sampling at 3 different time points separated by a maximum of 12 years. Results: We found that samples collected in different locations separated by up to 22 km within the same year were not significantly differentiated from one another. However, samples separated temporally were significantly differentiated. Conclusion: Previous studies on the population structure of G.pallidipes in East-Africa have found population structure at variable geographic scales, with population structure across just 5 km in some cases. Our study shows that in Nguruman, the genetic structure of G.pallidipes is dominated by a temporal signal in samples collected across 12 years, but do not display population structure at the small spatial scale investigated