Mosquito-borne diseases in Assam, north-east India: current status and key challenges.
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Date
2015-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, Japanese encephalitis (JE), lymphatic
filariasis and dengue, are major public health concerns in the north-eastern
state of Assam, deterring equitable socioeconomic and industrial development.
Among these, malaria and JE are the predominant infections and are spread
across the state. The incidence of malaria is, however, gradually receding, with
a consistent decline in cases over the past few years, although entry and spread
of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum remains a real threat in the
country. JE, formerly endemic in upper Assam, is currently spreading fast across
the state, with confirmed cases and a high case-fatality rate affecting all ages.
Lymphatic filariasisis is prevalent but its distribution is confined to a few districts
and disease transmission is steadily declining. Dengue has recently invaded the
state, with a large concentration of cases in Guwahati city that are spreading to
suburban areas. Control of these diseases requires robust disease surveillance
and integrated vector management on a sustained basis, ensuring universal
coverage of evidence-based key interventions based on sound epidemiological
data. This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the status of vectorborne
diseases in Assam and to address the key challenges.
Description
Keywords
Assam, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, lymphatic filariasis, malaria, north-east India, vector-borne diseases
Citation
WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health 2015;4(1&2): 20-29.