Utility of Poecilia reticulata Peters, for the control of mosquito breeding in in polluted drains in Assam, India¹

VAS DEV² AND S. K. SHARMA³

Abstract

The guppy fish, Poecilia reticulata, was recorded in good numbers in the open polluted drains of metropolis of Guwahati, Assam state, India. Surveys were conducted in 53 drains between August and September, 1992 with reference to presence of these fishes vis-a-vis mosquito breeding and densities thereof four dips at each site.It was found that 21 of the 53 sites had a high density of guppies but no mosquito breeding while 23 had no fish breeding but high densities of 72.4 mosquito larvae per dip. There was a negative association between presence of P. reticulata and mosquito breeding. This fish species holds good promise as biological control agent to reduce mosquito abundance in urban areas of Assam.

Please note : If you need complete text of this paper please click here

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Accepted on 23 March,1994.

2.Senior Research Officer, Malaria Research Centre, ICMR, Field Station, Sonapur, Kamrup, Assam 782402, India.

3. District Malaria Officer, Office of the Joint Director Health Services, Kamrup district, Guwahati, Assam 781001,India.
******************************************************************************************

References on malaria research conducted in northeastern states viz., Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have been compiled beginning from 1902 to 1996 which have been grouped under broad disciplines i.e., entomology, pharmacology, epidemiology and prevention and control. It is hoped that this bibliography would prove a useful tool for future workers for identification of lacunae in our knowledge of malaria of the northeastern region.

Please note : If you need complete text of this paper please click here

KEY WORDS : Bibliography; Malaria; entomology; epidemiology, pharmacology; prevention and control.

1. Accepted on 23.8.1995.

2. Malaria Research Centre (ICMR), Field Station, Sonapur, Kamrup, Assam 782 402, India.

(With five text figures

ZAKIR HUSAIN HUSAINY²

In 19 out of 105 villages surveyed in Bastar district, 807 specimens of Anopheles jamesi were collected during 1206 man-hours. This mosquito was not found resting indoors during day time. A uniform feeding time pattern was not seen all round the year. This Anopheles appeared to be more numerous in the Northeastern Plateau with hot-moist climate and in winter season. The elevation ranged from 609 to 761 m. above sea level. Females were not taken on human bait nor human blood was detected in precipitin analysis.None of the female dissected showed gut or gland infection of malarial parasites.

Please note : If you need complete text of this paper please click here

KEY WORDS : Bionomics; Anopheles (Cellia) jamesi Theobald, 1901; distribution; diurnal resting sites; feeding times; seasonal prevalence; malaria, precipitin tests; epidemiological significance.

1. Accepted on 20 November, 1994.

2. Assistant Entomologist, National Malaria Eradication Programme, Jagdalpur, Distt. Bastar, Madhya Pradesh, India.

******************************************************************************************

A member of the editorial board of the Annals of Medical Entomology, Dirk Leopold Theron died of cerebral haemorrhage on 13 October, 1994 at Tzaneen, South Africa. He was awarded his M.Sc. degree by the university of North in 1987 for a thesis on larvivorous fishes. He served the National Institute for Tropical Diseases, Tzaneen throughout his life where he was senior medical natural scientist till the time of his death. He authored eight valuable papers in medical entomology. He is survived by a wife, Christine, and four sons.

Please note : If you need complete text of this paper please click here

KEY WORDS : Dirk Leopold Theron, larvivorous fishes, medical entomology, malaria, Tzaneen, South Africa.

1. Accepted on 4 November,1994.

2. Chief Editor, The Annals of Medical Entomology, P. O. Box No. 62, G. P. O., Raipur (M.P.) 492001, India.

******************************************************************************************

Collections of Aedes albopictus Skuse, 1894 and Armigeres subalbatus Coquillett, 1894by using sound traps were made in a rubber small holding and two secondary forest reserves in Malaysia. Inside the trap polyethylene bags with a loud speaker and a filter paper wetted with alpha - ketobutyric acid filter paper were placed. In some of the traps dry ice was kept to attract mosquitoes. It was seen that Ar. subalbatus was attracted more to a sound frequency of 750 Hz while Ae. albopictus towards 450 Hz. By comparing the dry ice and sound trap collections it was seen that higher numbers of Ae. albopictus and Ar. subalbatus were attracted by the latter.

Please note : If you need complete text of this paper please click here

KEY WORDS : Aedes albopictus, Armigeres subalbatus, sound traps, polyethylene, alpha - ketobutyric acid.

1. Accepted on 27 November, 1994.

2. Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

3. Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

4. Vector Control Unit, Department of Health, Municipality of Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur.