Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
15:03
Building a Better Mosquito: Identifying the Genes Enabling Malaria and Dengue Fever Resistance in A. gambiae and A. aegypti Mosquitoes
Published on: July 4, 2007
Why is it important to study malaria epidemiology in India?
Vineeta Singh1, Neelima Mishra, Gauri Awasthi
1National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi 110077, India.
Trends in Parasitology
|September 8, 2009
Summary
India
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Entomology
- Genetics
- Climate Science
Background:
- Malaria remains a significant vector-borne disease in India.
- India's diverse geography influences malaria epidemiology.
- Factors include parasite and vector genetics, insecticide resistance, and human genetic diversity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the complex factors driving malaria epidemiology in India.
- To understand the shift towards Plasmodium falciparum dominance.
- To inform updated drug and insecticide policies.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological data.
- Analysis of parasite and vector genetic diversity.
- Assessment of insecticide resistance patterns.
- Consideration of climatic and human genetic factors.
Main Results:
- Significant variability in malaria patterns across India.
- Increasing prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum over Plasmodium vivax.
- Emerging insecticide resistance in vector populations.
- Impact of changing climate on disease transmission.
Conclusions:
- India is a critical research hotspot for malaria due to its dynamic epidemiology.
- Evolving resistance necessitates adaptive drug and insecticide strategies.
- Understanding these shifts is crucial for effective malaria control.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Malaria
Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
01:26Introduction to Epidemiology
Epidemiology, known as the cornerstone of public health, involves studying the distribution and determinants of health-related events in defined populations and applying these insights to control health issues. This is essential for understanding how diseases spread, identifying populations at greater risk, and implementing measures to control or prevent outbreaks. Epidemiology addresses not only infectious diseases but also non-communicable conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease,...
01:26Principles of Disease Surveillance
Disease surveillance is the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data essential to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. This process integrates data dissemination to entities responsible for preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Surveillance systems provide crucial information for action, helping public health authorities make informed decisions to manage and prevent outbreaks, ensure public safety, optimize...
00:58Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
In the ever-evolving field of public health, statistical analysis serves as a cornerstone for understanding and managing disease outbreaks. By leveraging various statistical tools, health professionals can predict potential outbreaks, analyze ongoing situations, and devise effective responses to mitigate impact. For that to happen, there are a few possible stages of the analysis: