Kolkata, Aug. 19 -- A team of researchers from the Department of Zoology at Calcutta University's Ballygunge Science College has discovered that certain mosquito species can be used to control those responsible for spreading deadly diseases such as dengue, malaria and filariasis.
In Kolkata, mosquitoes are broadly classified into six genera. Of these, Aedes, Anopheles, Culex and Armigeres bite humans and spread diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria and filariasis. Conventional measures, including bleaching powder, have had limited success in destroying their larvae.
The Zoology Department's latest findings highlight two predatory species-Toxorhynchites (known as elephant mosquitoes) and Lutzia-that could help reduce populations of disease-spreading mosquitoes. Unlike their blood-feeding counterparts, these species do not bite humans. In their larval stage, they prey on the larvae of Aedes, Anopheles, Culex and Armigeres. "We call Toxorhynchites and Lutzia the predatory mosquitoes. Their survival depends on consuming the larvae of Aedes, Anopheles, Culex and Armigeres. In that sense, the first two are predators, while the others are prey," said Professor Gautam Aditya, head of the Zoology Department.
He added that these predators thrive in the same habitats as the vectors. "They breed in tree holes, stagnant water, broken containers, glass jars and even paddy fields. Because they share the same breeding grounds and life cycle, we can use them to biologically suppress the vectors. That is what our research has demonstrated," he explained.
The idea was first explored in the 1980s by researchers at the School of Tropical Medicine, including Dr Amiya Kumar Hati and Dr Amitabha Nandy. However, systematic studies lapsed for decades.
The Calcutta University team, followed by Burdwan University researchers, has now revived the concept with fresh evidence.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.