World Malaria Day is Celebrated on April 15th to raise awareness and investment in malaria prevention and control.
Over 3,500 mosquito species worldwide, with India hosting over 12% of the global population.
India's mosquito diversity is 63 species, including the malaria-carrying Anopheles.
Malaria transmission is Discovered by Sir Ronald Ross in Hyderabad, linking Anopheles mosquitoes to malaria transmission.
Mosquitoes are vectors for malaria, dengue, filaria, Japanese encephalitis, and chikungunya.
Mosquito Breeding and Control
Prevalence is high in water-logged areas like Odisha, West Bengal, and Northeast India.
Cities like Pune, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata face increasing mosquito populations due to rainfall and poor water management.
Mosquitoes thrive in stagnant water sources like farms, pots, gutters, and tires.
Regular cleaning of water bodies, using natural repellents like camphor, tulsi, and citronella oil, and commercial repellents like Odomos.
DEET-based repellents is Developed during World War II, with improved versions available.
DEET is a chemical (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) used as the active ingredient in many insect repellent products
Malaria Vaccine Development
Mosquirix vaccine approved for large-scale use in Africa.
Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute working on malaria vaccines.
Potential impact: Timely availability of vaccines in India could significantly reduce malaria cases.
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