Determination of critical density in Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901 (Diptera: Culicidae) as a deciding factor influencing the transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus in southern India

Abstract

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) causes a severe neurobiological health hazard, namely, Japanese encephalitis (JE) which has been rampant in Cuddalore district in the 1970s and 1980s, transmitted mainly by Culex tritaeniorhynchus. The authors have been working on various aspects of transmission dynamics of JE in Cuddalore district, south India, for past more than two decades and have analyzed varied data on ecology and biology of vector Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, to develop a model for depicting the critical density which is a primary requisite to develop control strategy against vector. Such a model of critical density for the vector will be helpful to forecast prospective outbreaks of the disease exacting heavy morbidity and mortality in many parts of India.