Emerging Plasmodium falciparum in an endemic area in Calcutta.
Calcutta is now intensely malarious. Malarial infections are detected in every month. In an endemic area in central Calcutta a year-long study from August 1996 to July 1997 reveals that 31.47% of all cases are due to Plasmodium falciparum infection. A competition is going on between P vivax and P falciparum to gain upperhand. An equilibrium is there in the month of January (1997), when P vivax and P falciparum cases constitute 51.13% and 49.43% respectively. The highest and lowest percentage of P falciparum infection is in December 1996 (67.98%) and in May 1997 (0.89%) which is just reverse in the case of P vivax in December 1996 (33.60%) and in May 1997 (99.10%). Three imported cases of P malariae have been detected but the patients cannot be traced. Six cases of mixed infections have been found.
Mandal
B
B
ESI Hospital, Calcutta.
Mitra
N K
NK
Mukhopadhyay
A K
AK
Mukherjee
H
H
Hati
A K
AK
D000818:Animals; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population