Entomological Surveillance and Warning for Dengue Outbreaks in Alwar City, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Abstract The objective of the study was to find out most productive breeding sites for immature as well as for pupae of Aedes aegypti in Alwar city of Rajasthan, India, and to assess the community about awareness of dengue. The study was carried out through door-todoor entomological survey in and around houses during the month of March 2016. All field collected immature reared in laboratory and identified as Aedes aegypti. All adult mosquitoes were processed for detection of dengue virus by ELISA method by using specific monoclonal antibody. A total of 116 houses were searched for detection of immatures of Aedes mosquitoes. House index, container index and Breteau index were 58.62, 12.44 and 64.66 respectively. However, pupal index was very high (141.38). Two key containers such as cement tanks and plastic water storage containers harbored 85.33% of Aedes. Among them, cement tanks contributed about one third of the positive containers of A. aegypti breeding. It is concluded that due to irregular pipe water supply in the city of Alwar, the residents store water in cement tanks, different PWSC, earthen pots and other containers in and around their houses that provide favorable habitats of Aedes breeding. Density of Aedes mosquitoes increases due to spread of breeding in other temporary abundant containers during monsoon and post monsoon period. Thus, infected mosquito colonies with dengue virus might be increased through vertical transmission. If appropriate control measures were not undertaken, in future there may be possibility of a dengue outbreak in the city. It was also observed that community is also not aware much about dengue and prevention of Aedes breeding in the containers. Public health attention is required for prevention of any outbreak in the city