Vector biology and control : an update for malaria elimination : initiative in India

Malarial threat is receding in India and for achieving malaria-free status, vector biology is regaining its due importance for targeting species-specific interventions in place and time. Anopheles minimus, the major vector of malaria in north-east India, is disappearing fast evidenced by reduced levels of malaria transmission and morbidity. An. minimus is a species complex comprising three sibling species of which An. minimus s.s., formally named as An. minimus, is recorded to occur in east and north-east India. It is highly anthropophilic and responsible for fulminating outbreaks of malaria evidenced by incrimination records in range of its distribution. For its control, DDT continues to be the insecticide of choice for indoor residual spraying; however, populations are highly resilient in response to residual insecticides for paradigm shift in vector behaviour from indoor resting to outdoors resulting in continued transmission. Extra-domiciliary transmission of malaria is a challenge for which newer interventions, viz., attractive toxic sugar bait, eave-tube technology, nano-synthesized pesticides, new adult repellents, oviposition deterrents need to be field-evaluated under local geo-epidemiological conditions. To keep vector populations at bay, it is advocated to upscale interventions for 'universal coverage' of human populations at risk to check malaria transmission and spread of drug-resistant malaria