The reappearance of malaria in Sathanaur reservoir and environs: Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

This study examines another example of the reappearance of malaria in India. After the discontinuation of insecticide spraying operations, and the complacency observed on the part of malaria workers and staff, malaria receptivity increased rapidly in areas where A. culicifacies is the vector. This paper examines some of the environmental impacts of a water resource related development project in the surrounding rural settlements in the state of Tamilnadu, India with reference to a recent renewal of malaria transmission in that region. The incidence of malaria was particularly noticed in the population of many river villages, migrant workers on the project and tourists visiting a dam site.

Factors favoring the increase of rural malaria in the area appear to be: irrigation, agriculture, terrain features of the reservoir region, the nature of breeding places, the malaria transmission season, and the anopheline population. Other factors found to be related were: the role of malaria carriers in the area. the type of population at risk, the degree of contact of the population with certain terrain features, dwelling types and other socio-economic activities of the affected population. Certain occupation characteristics and population movements also have an important bearing in the incidence of malaria.