Open AccessMalaria in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Challenges and opportunities for elimination
Author(s) -
I. P. Sunish,
A N Shriram,
Amitabh De,
Paluru Vijayachari
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
asian pacific journal of tropical disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.208
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 2222-1808
DOI - 10.1016/s2222-1808(15)60942-2
Subject(s) - malaria , archipelago , plasmodium knowlesi , vector (molecular biology) , plasmodium falciparum , biology , anopheles , plasmodium (life cycle) , plasmodium vivax , ecology , zoology , parasite hosting , immunology , recombinant dna , biochemistry , gene , world wide web , computer science
Malaria has been endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago for over a century. However,\udthe cases were observed to decline during the past few years. Plasmodium vivax and\udPlasmodium falciparum are the predominant malaria causing parasites, but the occurrence of\udPlasmodium knowlesi has also been reported recently. Anopheles sundaicus is the incriminated\udvector of malaria parasites, and they breed both in fresh and brackish water. This mosquito\udis predominantly endophagic and zoophagic. Cytogenetic and molecular studies revealed the\udpresence of Anopheles sundaicus cytotype “D” alone. The annual parasite incidence in the\udarchipelago ranged between 6.0 and 11.9 till 2010, which decreased and reached 1.2 in the\udyear 2014. The slide positivity rate also varied significantly, and declined from 3.09% in 2005\udto 0.74% in 2014. Bioenvironmental control strategy, especially through the use of larvivorous\udfishes was the main contributory factor for the cases to decline. Although malaria transmission\udis being suppressed through effective interventions, it is likely to resurge if these measures are\udnot continued. There is a window of opportunity to achieve the goal of malaria elimination in\udthis archipelago, by sustaining the gains achieved and by strengthening the control activities in\udareas where the cases are still persistent