Population dynamics of Cockroaches (Pterygota: Blattodea) identified from hospitals of Quetta, Balochistan
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Abstract
Cockroaches (Blattodea) are of great medical importance and one of the key group of insect pests in municipal environments. The aim of present study was to recognize the major cockroach species in hospital environments in Quetta capital of Balochoistan province, Pakistan. Three main metropolitan city hospitals (Civil hospital, Bolan Medical Complex (BMC) and Benazir hospitals) were inspected to collect the cockroaches using sticky traps, insect collecting net and hand catch method. 360 specimens of cockroaches were collected over a ftrapping period during 2016 from different units (ward, cafeteria and lawn) of the selected hospitals. They were identified as five species of cockroaches from three families: Blattidae include Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758), Blatta orientalis L. and Blatta lateralis L. The Blattellidae and Polyphagidae include Blattella germanica L. and Polyphaga aegyptica L. respectively. From the data of this study it is concluded that P. americana from Quetta hospitals showed highest frequency (43.3%). Wards were noted harbored highest population of five cockroach species (55.8%) compared to cafeteria (30.8%) and lawns (13. 4%). Wards of BMC were more populated (20.8%) than that of Benazir (18.3%) and civil hospitals (16. 7%).While cafeteria of civil hospital was more populated (12.5%) than Benazir hospital (10.8%) and BMC (7. 5%). In contrast, lawns showed lesser frequency (5%), (4. 2%) and (4. 2%) respectively compare to other units. Among wards viz Gynae, Medicine, Surgery, Paeds and Cardiac; P. americana showed high frequency (26.6 %) fallowed by B. germanica (15%) and B. orientalis (14.1%). Gynae wards were noted more populated (24.2%) than Medicine (14.2%), Paeds (9.2 %) and Surgery (8.0%). No cockroach species was recorded from the cardiac wards.
Keywords: Diversity; Cockroach species; Measurement; Hospitals; Quetta