The effect of domestic detergents on the population dynamics of the immature stages of two competitor mosquitoes, Culex cinereus Theobald and Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera, Culicidae) in Kenya.
In some rural areas of Kenya pit latrines are the most important breeding places of Culex quinquefasciatus, but this vector is often rapidly displaced by a competitor, Culex cinereus, which then breeds prolifically in the latrines. In urban settlements, however, cesspools are the main breeding sites of C. quinquefasciatus and no such species replacement occurs. These latter habitats contain water contaminated with domestic detergents. When detergents were introduced into a pit latrine colonized only by C. cinereus this mosquito was eliminated after about 3 weeks. When both species were reared in water containing detergents C. cinereus had lower pupal yields than C. quinquefasciatus. In two pit latrines where C. cinereus normally displaced C. quinquefasciatus, the addition of detergent prevented this, and after their coexistence for a few weeks, C. cinereus eventually disappeared. These observations suggest that during the last few decades domestic detergents, together with other pollutants such as insecticides, may have contributed to the elimination of competitors, such as C. cinereus, from C. quinquefasciatus breeding sites.