Reinvasion of Calcutta city by Aedes albopictus: the proven vector of dengue in suburban areas
Tandon, N.; Raychoudhury, S.
Indian Journal of Public Health 42(1): 24-25
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-557X PMID: 10389503 Document Number: 280518
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti in cities and A. albopictus in suburban and rural areas. Dengue outbreaks occur almost regularly and sometimes reach epidemic proportions in cities and towns. Dengue endemicity in Calcutta was established for the first time in 1960, then re-established by another serosurvey in 1966. An outbreak of dengue was recently reported in the Bankura district of the city, where it has not previously been reported. With the literature suggesting a recent change in the epidemiology of dengue, probably due to the invasion of suburban and urban areas by A. aegypti and A. albopictus, respectively, a preliminary study was conducted to determine whether A. albopictus has gained a foothold in Calcutta. A larval and adult survey of Aedes species conducted from October 1995 to September 1996 in crowded areas of the city and an urban garden in central city found both A. aegypti and A. albopictus present in the surveyed areas as larvae and adults. A. albopictus, however, is competing with, and attempting to displace, A. aegypti.