Malaria control utilizing Bacillus sphaericus against Anopheles stephensi in Panaji, Goa.
In a large malaria endemic area in Panaji city, Goa, India, the weekly application of the biolarvicide Bacillus sphaericus (Strain 101, Serotype H 5a 5b) at the rate of 1 g/m2 in the main Anopheles stephensi larval habitats, viz., curing waters, masonry tanks, and sump tanks (under construction), from April to December 1993 resulted in a sharp decline in the habitat positivity (range 0.13-8.0%) as compared with the rest of the Panaji (range 2.2-30.6%) where temephos (Abate) was used as the larvicide. Bacillus sphaericus spraying also led to a significant decline in anopheline densities in positive habitats (range 0-7.3/10 dips) as compared with control habitats (range 0.9-53.0/10 dips). Concurrently, malaria incidence observed in the experimental area (slide positivity rate [SPR] range 2.3-7.8%; monthly parasite index [MPI] range 0.18-1.44) was lower than in the control area (SPR range 14.3-25.5%; MPI range 1.75-6.12).
Kumar
A
A
Malaria Research Centre (ICMR), Goa, India.
Sharma
V P
VP
Sumodan
P K
PK
Thavaselvam
D
D
Kamat
R H
RH
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D001407:Bacillus; D003465:Culex; D004463:Ecology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007814:Larva; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D010316:Particle Size; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011156:Population Density; D012621:Seasons