Factors influencing the spatial distribution of Anopheles larvae in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India

• Published in: Acta tropica Vol. 152; pp. 121 - 130
• Main Authors: Arjunan, Naresh Kumar, Kadarkarai, Murugan, Kumar, Shobana, Pari, Madhiyazhagan, Thiyagarajan, Nataraj, Vincent, C. Thomas, Barnard, Donald R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Anopheles; Anopheles - growth & development; ArcGIS; Demography; Geographic Information Systems; Humans; India; Larva - growth & development; Larval density; Larval habitats; Malaria - transmission; Mapping; Population Density; India; ArcGIS; Larval habitats; Anopheles; Mapping; Larval density
• ISSN: 0001-706X; 1873-6254
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.007

[Display omitted] •In the present study eight Anopheles species were recorded among which the most numerous species were Anopheles vagus, Anophelessubpictus, and Anopheleshyrcanus•The number of mosquito sites in a study area does not correlate with the size of the study area but rather with human population density.•There was no measurable association between the percent of education in a village and the number of mosquito sites.•High larval densities in the latter three villages are associated with a comparatively low awareness in the populace of mosquito biology and mosquito-borne disease. Malaria causes extensive morbidity and mortality in humans and results in significant economic losses in India. The distribution of immature malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes was studied in 17 villages in Coimbatore District as a prelude to the development and implementation of vector control strategies that are intended to reduce the risk of human exposure to potentially infectious mosquitoes. Eight Anopheles species were recorded. The most numerous species were Anopheles vagus, Anopheles subpictus, and Anopheles hyrcanus. The location of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each village was evaluated for correlation with selected demographic, biologic, and land use parameters using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. We found the number of mosquito development sites in a village and the density of larvae in such sites to be positively correlated with human population density but not the surface area (km2) of the village. The number of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each site were not correlated. Data from this study are being used to construct a GIS-based mapping system that will enable the location of aquatic habitats with Anopheles larvae in the Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India as target sites for the application of vector control.