Studies on anopheline fauna and malaria incidence in Dhansiripar PHC of Dimapur, Nagaland.

Northeastern region of India is in the Indo-Chinese hill zone of Macdonald’s classification of stable malaria. Despite numerous control measures, malaria continues to be major health problem with high morbidity and mortality in the areas of its occurrence even today. Perennial and persistent transmission of malaria is common in this region due to the predominance of Plasmodium falciparuml-3, development of resistance to chloroquine4,5, efficient anthropophagic vectors and congenial climate conditions. The role of Anopheles minimus (Diptera : Culicidae) as a principal vector in the transmission of malaria was established during early forties6. However, studies carried out in the fifties to seventies revealed near elimination of this species from northeastern region of India7,8, due to extensive use of insecticides under the National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP) presently National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) since 1953 and re-appeared in early eighties and its role in malaria transmission is well recognised1,2,9,10. Deforestation, urbanisation and development projects brought out changes in the eco-environment, which influenced the transmission of disease resulting in some changes in behavioural aspects of the vectors. Thus, it is essential to review the distribution and species composition of vector mosquitoes in a given area for adopting appropriate antimalaria control measures.