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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #296693
Title: Factors influencing the spatial distribution of Anopheles larvae in coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India

Author
item NARESH KUMAR, A - Bharathiar University
item MURUGAN, K - Bharathiar University
item KUMAR, SHOBANA - Bharathiar University
item PARI, MADHIYAZHAGAN - Bharathiar University
item THIYAGARAJAN, NATARAJ - Bharathiar University
item VINCENT, C - Loyola College
item Barnard, Donald

Submitted to: Malaria Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2015
Publication Date: 9/11/2015
Citation: Naresh Kumar, A.N., Murugan, K., Kumar, S., Pari, M., Thiyagarajan, N., Vincent, C.T., Barnard, D.R. 2015. Factors influencing the spatial distribution of Anopheles larvae in coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Malaria Journal. 152:121-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.007.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.007

Interpretive Summary: Malaria is the most important mosquito transmitted disease in India (2-3 million new cases each year). One technique for reducing the malaria transmission rate in humans is to reduce the mosquito population using natural and synthetic chemical larvicides. However, the socioeconomic parameters and demographic conditions relevant to understanding and controlling mosquito-borne disease in India are not presently organized to enable effective targeting and application of vector controls. In this study Indian and ARS scientists devised methods and techniques for locating and mapping mosquito developmental sites in 17 villages in the Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu State, India. The resulting data were correlated with demographic, biologic, and land use parameters for each village and used to construct a geographic information systems (GIS)-based map for the Coimbatore District. The map enables location of aquatic habitats with Anopheles larvae as target sites for the application of vector controls.

Technical Abstract: Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes in the Genus Anopheles and is a major public health problem in India where it causes morbidity and mortality in humans and results in significant economic losses. The distribution of immature and adult malaria-transmitting mosquitoes was studied in 17 villages in Coimbatore district. Eight Anopheles species were recorded. The most numerous species were Anopheles vagus, Anopheles subpictus, and Anopheles hyrcanus. The location of mosquito development sites and larval densities in each site were examined for correlation(s) with selected demographic, biologic, and land use parameters for each village. The location of larval habitats and the density of larvae in the habitats were proportional to human population density but not land mass of the focal area. An increased numbers of larval development sites was poorly correlated with mosquito larval density; whereas increased numbers of larval development sites were observed in areas of high human population.