title: Factors influencing the spatial distribution of Anopheles larvae in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India.
abstract: Malaria causes extensive morbidity and mortality in humans and results in significant economic losses in India. The distribution of immature malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes was studied in 17 villages in Coimbatore District as a prelude to the development and implementation of vector control strategies that are intended to reduce the risk of human exposure to potentially infectious mosquitoes. Eight Anopheles species were recorded. The most numerous species were Anopheles vagus, Anopheles subpictus, and Anopheles hyrcanus. The location of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each village was evaluated for correlation with selected demographic, biologic, and land use parameters using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. We found the number of mosquito development sites in a village and the density of larvae in such sites to be positively correlated with human population density but not the surface area (km(2)) of the village. The number of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each site were not correlated. Data from this study are being used to construct a GIS-based mapping system that will enable the location of aquatic habitats with Anopheles larvae in the Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India as target sites for the application of vector control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Periyar University, Salem 636011, India. Electronic address: nareshphd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naresh Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Arjunan
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, India.
authors.forename: Murugan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadarkarai
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Sri GVG Visalakshi College for women, Udumalpet, India.
authors.forename: Shobana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, India.
authors.forename: Madhiyazhagan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pari
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, India.
authors.forename: Nataraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Zonal Entomological Team, 219, Race Course Road, Coimbatore 641 018, India.
authors.forename: C Thomas
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, USDA-ARS, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Barnard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000254:growth & development; D003710:Demography; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission*; D011156:Population Density
keywords: Anopheles; ArcGIS; Larval density; Larval habitats; Mapping