Author(s):

P Philip Samuel, D Ramesh, M Muniaraj, N Arunachalam

Abstract: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen. JEV is transmitted by paddy field breeding mosquitoes of the Culex vishnuisubgroup, primarily by Culex tritaeniorhynchus vectors and amplified by pigs / Ardeidae birds in nature. Mosquitoes were sampled from identified villages during different season intervals from 2011 to 2014. Adult mosquitoes were collected which were resting on bushes and thatched roofs of cattle sheds during dusk hours from 2011-2014 in 3 villages namely Muthur, Keezhapattu and Kovilur of Thanjavur district. A total of 17,479 adult mosquitoes were collected, belonging to eighteen species of mosquitoes of six genera: Anopheles (5 species), Armigeres (1 species),Culex (7 species), Aedes (2 species), Mansonia (2 species) and Mimomyia (1 species). The predominant JE vector Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, (PMH 126.57) was collected followed by Cx. gelidus (PMH 24) from the study villages. As compared withAn. subpictus (PMH 3.39) and An. peditaeniatus (2.07) the other JE vector species namely Cx. vishnui were very few in number. Study reveals the abundance and prevalence of the major vector Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Thanjavur district Tamil Nadu.JE vector abundance recorded is a measure of the maximum number of vector mosquitoes prevalent in this area and this will enable people to develop appropriate vector control strategies.

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