Inventory of the Cimicidae from Selected Public Places in Korhogo

Abstract

Bed bugs (Cimicidae) are haematophagous ectoparasites whose resurgence represents a growing nuisance in urban environments. In Côte d'Ivoire, their presence has been documented in Abidjan, but no data were available for the northern part of the country. This study aimed to inventory Cimicidae in public places in Korhogo and to assess the level of infestation by type of site. Collections were carried out in approximately thirty sites (bus stations, markets, schools, restaurants, garages, public administrations, university campus) over four months spanning the rainy season (August–September 2024) and the dry season (November–December 2024). Bed bugs were captured manually after visual inspection and aerosol spraying and then identified in the laboratory using dichotomous keys. A total of 4,518 specimens were collected, exclusively in five bus stations. Two species were identified: Cimex hemipterus (96.77 %) and Cimex lectularius (3.23 %). The Dianra station accounted for 66.42 % of the captures. The sex ratio was skewed in favour of females (65.03 % versus 34.97 % males). No significant difference was observed between the two seasons. These results indicate that bus stations constitute the main hotspots of infestation and passive dispersal of bed bugs in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Targeted entomological surveillance, hygiene measures and environmental management at these transit sites may help reduce the risk of further dispersal in northern Côte d’Ivoire.