Mosquito vector borne disease-malaria and public awareness in Sonitpur and Udalguri districts of Assam, India

Abstract

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal vector borne disease caused by a parasite that usually infects a certain type of anopheles mosquito which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, flu-like illness and shaking chills. While malaria can be a deadly disease, illness and death from malaria can usually be prevented. The current study has been carried out in different sites of Udalguri and Sonitpur district of Assam state during January 2014 to December 2016 with the principal objectives of evaluating the status of disease malaria and various factors of its occurrence with regards to malaria in that area to know its diversity. The awareness and knowledge of the local residents in the study area has also been taken into account. From the present study we have observed that there is lack of proper knowledge and awareness with regards to prevention of malaria among the local people. As far as prevention of malaria is concerned, it was seen that mosquito nets and coils were used by most of the people, but other alternative prevention measures such as prevention of water logging, proper disposal of waste, sanitation and personal hygiene should also be taken care of. Only those developed country where diseases transmission by mosquitos is no longer of primary health significance can afford specific programmes to control the pest mosquito population. Most developing countries will continue to concentrate their efforts against vector mosquitos. One of the advantages of environmental management is that, by reducing and suppressing the breeding habitats of vector mosquitos, it also reduces the population of pest mosquito species that use the same habitats for breeding.