Standardisation of Units for Assessment of Adult Disease Vector Density under Vector Control Programmes in India
Abstract
Vector density is one of the most frequently used monitoring parameters of entomological surveillance under any vector control programme. Vector control applications are guided by the density of vectors or their abundance in different seasons and settings. The vectors of different common vector-borne diseases viz. malaria, filaria, kala-azar, dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) have different bionomics. Scientists, researchers, and public health entomologists of various research institutes and programmes are engaged in studying vector bionomics through vector surveillance activities. The most common parameter used to estimate the density of vector and non-vector species of both mosquitoes and flies is the collection of species in a given unit of time. In the malaria control programme, it started as a collection of resting vector mosquitoes at a specified time of dawn and dusk. These are expressed in a number of forms viz. ‘per man hour’, ‘per ten man hour’ and ‘ten man hour’ to ascertain the level of vector population and its increasing or decreasing trend with climatic factors which may be correlated with the active transmission of the disease. The minimum level of density at which active transmission was evidenced has been termed as ‘critical density’. Various vector species have different critical densities. Many other parameters are used to estimate vector or non-vector populations but such different units may often lead to confusion among the field functionaries. This article describes the significance of ‘per man-hour density’, the methodology which has been in practice for ages and the statistical method for its calculation. To avoid misconception, it should be understood that the density expressed for a particular species is the ‘differential density’ and not the absolute density.
How to cite this article:
Chandra R, Kumar A, Singh RK, Kamal S, Sharma SN, Sharma RS, Srivastava PK. Standardisation of Units for Assessment of Adult Disease Vector Density under Vector Control Programmes in India. J Commun Dis. 2022;54(4):69-73.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.2022105
References
Ross R. The prevention of malaria. J Murray. 1910;669.
Barber MA, Rice JB. Malaria studies in Greece. The relation of housing to malaria in certain villages of east Macedonia. Am J Hyg. 1935;22(3):512-38. [Google Scholar]
Russell PF, Rao TR. A study of density of Anopheles culicifacies in relation to malaria endemicity. Am J Trop Med. 1942;22(5):535-58. [Google Scholar]
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP erstwhile NMEP). Operational . Manual for Malaria Action Programme (MAP), Government of India. 1995;223.
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP erstwhile NMEP). National. Filaria Control Programme Operational Manual. Government of India; 1995;127.
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP erstwhile NMEP). Manual on visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-azar). Government of India. 1996;182.
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). Operational guidelines on elimination of lymphatic filariasis. Government of India. 87.
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).Guidelines on elimination of lymphatic filariasis, India. Interruption of transmission through Mass Drug Administration with DEC and albendazole disability alleviation through home based management of lymphodema and hospital based hydrocelectomy. Government of India. 2009;108.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A profile of National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR). Government of India; 2009;268.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Centre for Research in Medical Entomology (CRME) - Two decadal results on Japanese encephalitis control trial studies of field station at Vridhachalam, South Arcot District, Tamilnadu. Government of India. 2011;455.
Mukhopadhyay AK, Hati AK, Chakraborty S, Saxena NB. Effect of DDT on Phlebotamus sand flies in Kala-azar endemic foci in West Bengal. J Commun Dis. 1996; 28(3):171-5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Gakhar SK, Vandana. Seasonal variations of culicine mosquitoes in district Rohtak. J Commun Dis. 1996;28(3):199-205. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Nandi J, Rao JS, Dasgupta RK, Sharma RS. Ecological observations on the anopheline mosquitoes of Jalpaiguri Duars, West Bengal. J Commun Dis. 1996;28(4):279-86. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Yadava RL, Rao CK, Biswas H. Field trial of cyfluthrin as an effective and safe insecticide for control of malaria vectors in triple insecticide resistant areas. J Commun Dis. 1996;28(4):287-98. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Chand G, Pandey GD, Tiwary RS. Prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti infection among the tribals of Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. J Commun Dis. 1996;28(4):304-7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Shriram AN, Sehgal SC. Aedes aegypti (L) in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar islands - distribution and larval ecology. J Commun Dis. 1999;31(3):185-92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Singh S, Dhariwal AC, Bora D, Lal S. Status of lymphatic filariasis in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh. J Commun Dis. 2009;41(1):39-44. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Copyright (c) 2022 Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
