Seasonal prevalence and blood meal analysis of filarial vector Culex quinquefasciatus in coastal areas of Digha, West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Filariasis is one of the major vector-borne diseases causing serious health problem in the tropics and subtropics. The coastal areas of Digha are known to be a filariasis prone region of West Bengal, India. The filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti is transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus, the established filarial vector in West Bengal, India. The present work was aimed to determine the abundance of different mosquito species; and the frequency, distribution and blood meal analysis of Cx. quinquefasciatus in coastal areas of Digha. METHODS During the present study, a total of 11,537 mosquitoes [Cx. quinquefasciatus, Armigeres subalbatus, Anopheles barbirostris, An. annularis, An. subpictus, An. sundaicus, Aedes albopictus, and Cx. vishnui (group)] were collected by hand collection method from human habitations and cattlesheds of 10 villages of Digha, West Bengal, India. The seasonal prevalence of Cx. quinquefasciatus was studied. In each season, blood meals of 300 Cx. quinquefasciatus collected from human habitations were analysed during the study period. RESULTS Cx. quinquefasciatus was found to be the dominant species (88.44% of the total collection) in the study area. It was most frequently found in and around human habitations than cattlesheds. Total man hour density calculation revealed that this species was most prevalent during the rainy season. Two-way ANOVA revealed that the abundance of Cx. quinquefasciatus varied with different seasons. Blood meal analysis showed that the filarial vector preferred human blood than that of other animals. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION This study suggested Cx. quinquefasciatus as the dominant mosquito species in the study area; and the anthropophilic nature of Cx. quinquefasciatus might be the reason of increase in the intensity of filarial transmission in coastal areas of Digha.