Predictors of knowledge of selected mosquito-borne diseases among adults of selected peri- urban areas of Puducherry.

The mosquito borne diseases of public health importance are complex and their occurrence depends on the interaction of various biological, ecological, social and economic factors. Though several measures for their prevention and control are followed, yet the problem density is too high with 300–500 million cases and 1.1–2.7 million deaths due to malaria alone globally per year1. Puducherry (earstwhile Pondicherry) has 64 species of mosquitoes causing severe mosquito nuisance2. The burden of vectorborne diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya and filaria) is low while Japanese encephalitis and kalaazar have not been reported from Puducherry3. The mosquito-borne diseases result in avoidable ill-health and death which also has been emphasized in National Health Policy4 and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)5. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)6 under the aegis of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)7 is one of the most comprehensive and multifaceted public health activity in India including prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases.