Scientist E/Deputy Director,
ICMR-NIMR, Field Unit, Chennai
Title of the project 1 (LDI): Asymptomatic and low-density malaria parasite infection in the community and its transmission potential in Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari and Dharmapuri districts in Tamil Nadu, India
Summary:
In Tamil Nadu, malaria is confined to a few coastal (Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari), urban (Chennai) and riverine (Dharmapuri and Thiruvannamalai) areas. The state has witnessed significant reduction in malaria cases in the past few years due to implementation of effective control measures, timely operation of indoor residual spraying (IRS) and routine larval source management. Chennai contributes 53.6 to 78.8% malaria cases annually to the malaria burden of Tamil Nadu during the last 2 decades and Plasmodium vivax is the predominant parasite species. The cases reported are mainly from government hospitals, clinics and also from private hospitals. However, all the cases are not reported and the proportion of the low-density parasite population is undetected with the existing passive surveillance mechanism, indicating the burden, just the tip of the iceberg. Hence, a comprehensive plan to target the low-density parasite population and to investigate its role in malaria transmission is proposed in selected ecotypes in Tamil Nadu.
Title of the project 2 (VB): Bio-ecology of malaria vectors in endemic and diverse ecotypes (urban, coastal and riverine) in Tamil Nadu, India
Summary:
Malaria in Tamil Nadu is confined to a few coastal (Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari), urban (Chennai) and riverine (Dharmapuri, Thiruvannamalai) areas. The state has witnessed significant reduction in malaria cases in the past few years due to implementation of effective control measures, timely operation of indoor residual spraying (IRS) and routine larval source management. Urban malaria contributes to the bulk of malaria burden in Tamil Nadu with ~ 71%, although sporadic cases are also reported in rural areas of plain and riverine belts. Anopheles stephensi is the predominant vector found throughout Tamil Nadu while the known, established vector in Rameswaram is Anopheles culicifacies , also found in the riverine belts of Tamil Nadu. Due to varied vector control interventions, urbanization, besides, landscape/ environmental changes and intense insecticide pressure, a shift in the vector behaviour has been observed in a few areas. Hence, a comprehensive study to investigate the bio- ecology of vectors is planned in endemic and diverse ecotypes and to address the issue of reported transmission in Tamil Nadu.
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