TRIBAL MALARIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON AIR FORCE STATION AMLA AND SURROUNDING AREAS : AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY

An epidemiological study on the transmission of malaria was carried out in an Air Force (AF) station located in a densely forested, highly malarious tribal belt in Central India. Among the AF station population, Defence Service Corps (DSC) personnel, whose occupation involved night patrolling in densely forested locales on the perimeter of the AF station, with the tribal villages within flight range of the vector mosquitoes, were the group most affected in terms of both overall malaria incidence and high falciparum rates. Among the neighbouring villages, the tribal villages had significantly higher rates of malaria as compared to the non-tribal villages. Vector identification revealed the presence of malaria vectors Anopheles culicifacies and A fluviatilis. Heavy breeding was noted in the surrounding villages, both in natural water channels and man made projects, such as installation of village hand pumps without proper drainage. A rising trend of malaria was obvious in these villages. Incidence among the service population could be controlled to some extent by specifically targeted measures inside the camp area. Strategy for controlling malaria in such endemic pockets has been discussed.