Alappuzha: The world will observe ‘world mosquito day’ on Saturday with a pledge to control the ubiquitous vector for several diseases but the state government is yet to see it as opportunity to make the day a platform for joint efforts for its eradication.‘World mosquito day’ is observed on August 20 every year to mark British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.
The day is important for Kerala as it is threatened by several diseases such as dengue which breaks out in regular intervals in the state, calling upon the government to revisit the vector eradication programmes. It has already been reported that the state’s climatic and geographic conditions are extremely suited for the breeding of Aedes species. Though the state has adopted several systems focusing on source-reduction or destruction of mosquito-breeding sites, its vector management strategies still remain ineffective and incompetent.
It has been found that Aedes aegypti is the primary vector which transmits dengue in the urban areas while the tiger mosquito or the A. albopictus does the job in hilly areas. The latter is a less efficient vector, but it makes up for this by its presence in large numbers. Entomologists rule out evolving a blanket strategy for controlling the entire Aedes species and instead suggest implementation of modified ones that would works in different geographical terrains and climatic patterns. Dr K.N. Panicker, an expert in filariasis research who spent over a decade as project director of the Massive Filariasis Control Programme in Alappuzha district, says he was surprised by the report which claimed presence of micro filariasis remains unabated.
“There were two types of filariasis in the state,” he said. “Brugian filariasis was present in Chertala taluk while Bancroftian filariasis in the rest of the areas of the state and the country. Among them, Brugian filasriasis is more severe, causing grotesque elephantiasis. It was also called Chertala leg (Chertala Manthu). He said the Filco movement, the first world model in mass drug administration involving community, had helped eliminate Brugian filariasis in Chertala with no new cases in children.
