12. Statistical Survey of Mosquito Vectors in the Vicinity of Waldhuni Water Body, District Thane-India

Abstract

Mosquitoes are one of the most medically significant vectors, and they transmit parasites and pathogens, which have major impact on the human population. The vector borne diseases caused by mosquitoes, such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever, chickungunya and filariasis, the major health problems in India. The Waldhuni river of the Thane district is highly polluted and now termed as nalla. The purpose of the study was to document the diversity of the harmful mosquito population in the vicinity of the Waldhuni nalla. Water samples were collected from eight different sites of the Waldhuni nalla and were checked for pH, temperature, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and mosquito population. Respective sites were
monitored for the cases of malaria, dengue and filariasis. The biostatistical analysis was performed to study the correlation between water pollution, mosquito population and the mosquito borne diseases. Positive correlation
between BOD, COD and TSS with mosquito population was found. Similarly, the significant relationship among malarial cases and Culex population was observed. The study revealed that Waldhuni nalla and its vicinity are
good habitat for the adult mosquito in spite of being rich in the pollution.