Following rampant deaths due to a Japanese Encephalitis (JE) outbreak in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, the Union Health Ministry has now sought the help of Bangalore-based National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) to replicate its successful vector-control strategy in the afflicted areas of Gorakhpur.
In this move, the larvivorous fish Gambusia—which is also known as mosquitofish, and widely used for more than a decade in mosquito control strategy in various districts of Karnataka—will soon be transported in large numbers from Bangalore to the villages of Gorakhpur.
This follows a furore in Parliament over the issue. Dr S K Ghosh, scientific officer and head of NIMR, said a committee comprising four scientific officers from the institute will visit the affected areas in a month’s time. Arrangements for the safe transportation and handling are currently being made to carry large stocks of Gambusia by train.
“We will release the Gambusia in ponds and natural water bodies, which our scientists identified during their previous visit to the villages.
Once these mosquitofish or Gambusias multiply, we will release them into all water bodies throughout the village. Gambusias are ideal for mosquito larvae control since they eliminate the mosquito larvae from the source,” he added.
Karnataka was the first to use larvivorous fish (Guppy and Gambusia) to control malaria and Japanese Encephalitis. Japanese Encephalitis is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, which transfers the virus from infected animals to humans, and intervention of Gambusias has proved to be effective. Besides Gambusia, the other larvivorous fish, Guppy, is also being used in malaria control in Karnataka for more than a decade.