Indian J Med Res
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Biography Historical Article Classical Article
Chandipura: a new arbovirus isolated in India from patients with febrile illness. 1967.
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The emergence and re-emergence of arboviral diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus continue to be a major threat in the tropics and subtropics. Associations between currently used indices and dengue transmission have not been proven to be satisfactorily predictive of dengue epidemics. Classical larval indices in dengue surveillance have limited use in assessing transmission risk and are a poor proxy for measuring adult emergence. ⋯ Even though, use of certain traps such as BG-Sentinel traps has been attempted in monitoring Ae. aegypti population, their utility is limited due to various setbacks which make these insufficient for entomological and epidemiological studies. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of an ideal trap that could be used for adult vector surveillance. The present review critically analyzes the setbacks in the existing tools of entomological surveillance of dengue vectors and highlights the importance and necessity of more improved, more sensitive and reliable adult trap that could be used for surveillance of dengue vectors.
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Tropical endomyocardial fibrosis in India was a common medical problem in the coastal districts of south India, especially the Kerala State. The clinical and autopsy studies have shown left and right ventricular apical fibrosis, with varying degree of atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Left ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis presents with severe pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis presents very high systemic venous pressure and congestive cardiac failure. ⋯ Various infectious and toxic factors were postulated regarding its aetiology. During the last few years, incidence of the disease has decreased considerably. The only explanation identified is the significant improvement in the living standards of the people with the corresponding decline in the childhood malnutrition, infections, worm infestation and associated eosinophilia.