title: Impact of deforestation on known malaria vectors in Sonitpur district of Assam, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An alarming rate of deforestation has been reported from Sonitpur district of Assam, India therefore, a study was initiated during 2009 using remote sensing (RS) to assess deforested areas in the district and to study the impact on malaria vectors in order to formulate appropriate control strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  RS imageries of 2000 and 2009 were used to assess deforested areas in the selected district. Entomological data were collected in four surveys during 2009-2011. The data were analyzed statistically using test of single proportions (χ 2 ) and pair-wise comparison. Vector incrimination was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and entomological inoculation rate (EIR) was calculated to estimate transmission intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The deforested areas were identified in north-western parts of Sonitpur district falling in Dhekiajuli Primary Health Centre (PHC). The forest cover of the PHC decreased >50% during 2000-2009. Five species of anopheline vectors were collected. Anopheles minimus sensu lato (s.l.) was collected least abundantly while An. culicifacies s.l. prevailed most abundantly and significant difference was observed between proportions of the collected vector species. Pair-wise comparison between An. culicifacies s.l. and An. minimus s.l. was also found statistically significant indicating that An. culicifacies s.l. is establishing its population in deforested areas. An. culicifacies s.l. was found ELISA positive and EIR was measured as 4.8 during transmission season.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An. culicifacies s.l. replaced An. minimus s.l., the vector of malaria in northeast India and was found ELISA positive, therefore could have possible role in malaria transmission in the deforested areas of the district.
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Nagpal
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Aruna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Vas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dev
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Arvind Singh
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tomar
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Sanjeev Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology