The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Research to figure out why malaria persists in coastal areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 06, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Research to figure out why malaria persists in coastal areas

Karthik Subramanian

A project by French Institute of Puducherry and Madras University

At the malaria laboratory. — Photo: R.Ragu

CHENNAI : The Corporation-run malaria laboratory on the Basin Water Works Road near Elephant Gate in George Town is the site for an ongoing research on why malaria is persisting in the coastal areas.

At the run-down laboratory, students of the French Institute of Puducherry and Madras University are trying to find out if the coastal climate has any bearing on the breeding of the female anopheles mosquito, the vector responsible for transmitting malaria.

Recently, the researchers have received a `mini-weather station' to help them determine live temperatures, humidity and wind speeds. Simultaneously, they also trap mosquitoes from the George Town area, which is endemic to malaria. They would then corroborate the findings of the weather stations and verify them against the mosquito prevalence to find out if there is any relevance.

B.Dhanraj, former Chennai Corporation vector control officer, who is guiding the students, said malaria had been prevalent along the Coromandel Coast. "There are theories that the coastal climate suits the malarial vector but for the first time we try to ascertain if it is possible."

A German exchange student with Madras University, Patrick Sakdapolrak is also working at the laboratory for his research on community health with lower income groups.

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