vectors

VECTOR
• It is an arthropod capable of transmitting or
spreading the disease.
• Two types of vectors-
1) Mechanical vector
2) BIOLOGICAL VECTOR.
• The important genera of mosquitoes that are
frequently asked in practical examinations are
Anopheles,Aedes, Culex.
• The stages of mosquitoe’s life cycle , which are
put as exhibits for identification, are as follows;
• Eggs
• Larva
• Pupa
• Adult mosquito.
 BROAD DIVISIONS OF MOSQUITOES
• 1) TRIBE ANOPHELINI-
• It has only one genus i.e. Anopheles
• 2) TRIBE CULICINI-
• It has many genera
• The important ones present in India are
Culex,Aedes & Mansonia.
 STEPS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF AN ADULT
MOSQUITO
• If an adult mosquito is kept for identification
• 1) First, look at the wings.
• 2) Look at the anterior border of wings .
• 3) If you see spots at the anterior margin of
wings ,the mosquito is an Anopheles.

2) If no spots are seen on the wings,then look at the

body of insect. If there are white stripes on the dark
body including the legs, the mosquito is Aedes.
 NOTE THE PALPI
• If these are as long as proboscis,then the mosquito is a female
anopheles..

• If these are small ,the mosquito is a female culex or aedes.

• If the antennae have a lot of hair thus making it bushy,the head is of

male mosquito.

• If the palpi of the male mosquito have club shaped ends ,then the
specimen is a male Anopheles.

• If the ends of the palpi are not club shaped then the male mosquito is
culicine( culex or AEDES)
 SEX DIFFERENCE IN MOSQUITO
PARTICULARS MALE FEMALE
MORPHOLOGY Palpi club shaped in Palpi pointed in culicines
anophiline
Antennae hairy Not hairy
SEX DIFFERENCES IN CULEX MOSQUITO
PARTICULARS MALE FEMALE
MORPHOLOGY Palpi longer than proboscis Palpi smaller than
& everted tip proboscis
Antennae has bushy hairs Not hairy
• If none of the above features are seen the
displayed mosquito is a “culex”.
 HOW TO IDENTIFY A MALE OR FEMALE OF
ANY GENUS.
• Look at the mouth parts of the mosquito .

• These consists of one proboscis for sucking blood or

vegetation juice.

• There is a pair of antennae and a pair of palpi.

• The males of all the above three genera have bushy

antennae which resemble moustache whereas the
females have relatively lesser hair on antennae.
 ANOPHELES MOSQUITO
• MORPHOLOGY—
• A mosquito has a cylindrical body, divisible
into three parts namely
• 1) HEAD
• 2) THORAX
• 3) ABDOMEN
 ANOPHELES FEMALE
• IDENTIFICATION-
• Proboscis & palpi are equal in length.
• Palpi are pointed
• Proboscis is in straight line with the body.
• Wing are spotted.
• Antennae are less hairy.

• HABITS-
• Prefers human blood for oviposition
• Bites in the evening & at night.
• Rests inside the house.
• Obscure in dark,cool & shady corners
• Life span is one week to one month.
 ANOPHELES MOSQUITO
• BREEDING PLACES-
• Clean water ,without organic matter
• For ex- well, roof tanks,flood water,dams.

• DISEASE TRANSMITTED –
• Malaria,-plasmodium species.

• CONTROL-
• Environmental-source reduction
• Chemical- insecticide spray
• Genetic – gene & sex distortion
• Personal protection-Mosquito net,coils,liquid,repellent creams & spray.
• NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL-
• NATIONAL VECTOR BORNE DISEASE CONTROL
PROGRAMME
 CULEX MOSQUITO
• IDENTIFICATION FEATURES-
• Body divided into 3 parts head, thorax &
abdomen with a pair of wings & three pairs of
legs.
• Unspotted wings
• Palpi shorter than the proboscis in females .
• It is is also known as “ nuisance mosquito”
 CULEX MOSQUITO
• HABITS-
• Domestic,prefer animal & human blood.
• Bites in the midnight
• Rests inside the house
• Obscure in dark,cool & shady corners.
• BREEDING PLACES-
• Breeds in dirty water,stagnant & blocked
drains,cesspool ,sullage,& sewage water .
• DISPERSAL- up to 11 km.
 CULEX MOSQUITO
• DISEASES TRANSMITTED-
• Mneumonic- FAWJ
• Bancroftian filariasis
• Japanese Encephalitis
• West nile fever
• Viral arthritis
• CONTROL-
• Environmental-source reduction
 CULEX MOSQUITO
• National programme for control-
• National filaria control programme
• National vector borne disease control
programme.
 AEDES FEMALE
• IDENTIFICATION-
• Satiny appearance
• Palpi are smaller than proboscis
• Wings- not spotted
• Ornamented with white stripes on black body
( TIGER MOSQUITO )

• HABITS-
• Peridomestic
• Rest in dark quite room,bathrooms,bed rooms, hanging articles,
• FLIGHT RANGE- < 100 METER
• Bites throughout the day ( DAY bitter
mosquito)
• BREEDING PLACES-
• Artificially collected water in receptacles-
- discarded tin, bottle, tyres,coconut shell,
flower pots etc.
• DISEASES TRANSMITTED—
• Mneumonic –CRY-DF
• Chickengunya fever
• Rift valley fever
• Yellow fever ( not present in india)
• Dengue, dengue haemmoragic fever
• Filariasis( not in india)
 AEDES MOSQUITO
• CONTROL-
• ENVIRONMENTAL-Removal of artificial water
collecting receptacles.
• CHEMICAL- Insecticide space spray ultra low
volume fogging during epidemics.
• GENETIC- gene & sex distortion
• PERSONAL PROTECTION- mosquito nets,coils,
repellants,( 25mesh holes per sq,cm)
• AEDES AEGYPTI INDEX-
• It is the percentage of houses in the area
showing of breeding places of aedes aegypti.
• This index should be kept < 1% ( Zero is ideal).
• NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL –
• National vector borne disease control
programme.
• EGGS OF MOSQUITO
Differentiating features of larva, pupa & egg
PARTICULARS ANOPHELES AEDES CULEX
EGGS Laid singly Spindle shaped Laid in raft like
groups
Boat shaped No floats attached Cigar shaped
Lateral floats Cumulatively laid
present eggs -culex
larva No siphon tube for Siphon tube is short Siphon tube is long
breathing & stout & slender.
 PUPA
• The pupa is comma shaped,& the head &
thorax are merged into a round cephalothorax
with the abdomen curving around
underneath.
 MOSQUITO CONTROL
• While there are many methods of mosquito control,
experts now recommend an “integrated approach”,
that is, an approach which avoids the excessive use
of any one method (e.g., insecticides) but tries to
combine one or more methods with a view to obtain
maximum results with minimum inputs and also to
prevent environmental pollution with toxic chemicals
and development of insecticide resistance.
• The various methods of mosquito control may be
classified as below :
 MOSQUITO CONTROL
• 1 ANTI-LARVAL MEASURES
• (a) Environmental control
• (b) Chemical control
• (c) Biological control
• 2 ANTI-ADULT MEASURES
• (a) Residual sprays
• (b) Space sprays
• (c) Genetic control
• 3 PROTECTION AGAINST MOSQUITO BITES
• (a) Mosquito net
• (b) Screening
• (c) Repellents
• 1. ANTI-LARVAL MEASURES
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
• (a) Environmental control
• The most important step in reducing the numbers of
mosquitoes is to eliminate their breeding places.
• This is known as “source reduction”, and comprises
minor engineering methods such as filling, levelling and
drainage of breeding places; and water management
(such as intermittent irrigation).
• These are proven methods of larval control. Source
reduction also implies rendering the water unsuitable for
mosquito breeding, as for example, changing the salinity
of water
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
• 1) Source reduction requires an accurate
knowledge of the breeding habits of mosquitoes.
• If Culex mosquitoes are a problem, there should
be a programme for the abolition of domestic
and peridomestic sources of breeding such as
cesspools and open ditches;
• and arrangements should be made for adequate
collection, removal and disposal of sewage and
waste water
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
• . If Aedes mosquitoes are a problem, the
environment should be cleaned up and got rid
of water holding containers such as discarded
tins, empty pots, broken bottles, coconut shells
and similar other artificial collections of water.
• If Anopheles mosquitoes are a problem, their
breeding places should be looked for and
abolished by appropriate engineering
measures such as filling and drainage
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
• . If Mansonia mosquitoes are a problem, the
aquatic plants to which the larvae attach
themselves should be removed or destroyed
by herbicides.
• Source reduction methods generally produce
results that are permanent.
 CHEMICAL CONTROL
• (b) Chemical control
• The commonly used larvicides are :
• (i) Mineral oils
• (ii) Paris green
• (iii) Synthetic insecticides
 MINERAL OILS
• (i) Mineral oils : The application of oil to water is one
of the oldest known mosquito control measure.
• The oils most widely used are the diesel oil, fuel oil,
kerosene and various fractions of crude oils. Special
oils (e.g..Mosquito Larvicidal Oil) are also available.
• Oil kills larvae and pupae within a short time after
application.
• When applied on water, oil spreads and forms a thin
film, which cuts off the air supply to the mosquito
larvae and pupae
 MINERAL OIL
• . Oil probably has also a specific toxic action on
these insect stages.
• The usual application rate for oils is 40 to 90 litres
per hectare (9). Since the life cycle of a mosquito
occupies about 8 days, it is customary to apply oil
once a week on all breeding places.
• Oil has also certain disadvantages, it renders water
unfit for drinking; it kills fish.
• Nevertheless, oil is eminently suited for the control
of mosquito larvae.
 PARIS GREEN
• (ii) Paris green : Paris green or copper acetoarsenite is an
emerald green, microcrystalline powder practically
insoluble in water.
• A good sample of paris green must contain 50 per cent
arsenious oxide.
• Paris green is a stomach poison and to be effective it must
be ingested by the larvae.
• Paris green kills mainly the Anopheles larvae because they
are surfacefeeders.
• Bottom-feeding larvae are also killed when paris green is
applied as a special granular formulation.
 PARIS GREEN
• Paris green is applied as 2 per cent dust which is
prepared by mixing 2 kg of paris green and 98 kg of a
diluent such as soapstone powder or slaked lime in a
“rotary mixer”.
• The resulting mixture must be fine with the size of the
particles ranging from 20—25 microns. The dusting is
accomplished by hand blowers or rotary blowers. The
recommended dose is 1 kg of actual paris green per
hectare of water surface (9).
• In the dosage applied, paris green does not harm fish,
man
 SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES
• ( iii) Synthetic insecticides :
• Fenthion , Chlorpyrifos, and Abate are the most effective
larvicides ( 10 ).
• These organophosphorous compounds hydrolyze quickly in water.

• Abate at a concentration of 1.0 ppm has been found to be a very

effective larvicide, and also the least toxic.

• Dosage of these toxicants are given in Table 6. The organochlorine

compounds (e.g., DDT, HCH) are not recommended for larviciding
operations because of their long residual effect, water
contamination and increased risk of developing
 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
• Biological control
• A wide range of small fish feed readily on mosquito larvae.

• The best known are the Gambusia affinis and Lebister reticulatus (sometimes
known as Barbados Millions).

• These fish can be used in burrow pits, sewage oxidation ponds, ornamental
ponds, cisterns and farm ponds.

• In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the biological control
of mosquitoes through the use of fish

• It is however recognized that biological control can be effective only when

used in conjunction with other methods
 ANTI- ADULT MEASURES
• 2. ANTI-ADULT MEASURES
• (a ) Residual sprays
• Adult mosquitoes are most commonly controlled by
spraying houses with residual insecticides.
• DDT is the insecticide of choice and dosages of 1-2
grams of pure DDT per sq. metre are applied 1-3 times a
year to walls and other surfaces where mosquitoes rest.
• In areas where DDT resistance is encountered ,
malathion and propoxur ( OMS- 33) , and to a lesser
extent gamma-HCH ( lindane) are recommended .
 ANTI ADULT MEASURES
• mosquitoes, especially after several years of
exposure.

• Resistance to organophosphorus insecticides is

also becoming widespread. It is essential that
periodic tests should be made to determine the
susceptibility of different species of mosquitoes
to the various insecticides so that only potent
insecticides can be applied
 SPACE SPRAY
• ( b ) Space sprays
• Space sprays are those where the insecticidal formulation is
sprayed into the atmosphere in the form of a mist or fog to kill
insects.
• The common space sprays are :
• (i ) Pyrethrum extract : An extract of pyrethrum flowers is an
excellent space spray.
• The active principle ( pyrethrin ) is a nerve poison and kills
insects instantly on mere contact.
• Pyrethrum is sprayed at a dosage of 1 oz of the spray solution
(containing 0.1 per cent of the active principle, pyrethrin ) per
1,000 C. ft. of space
 SPACE SPRAY
• . The doors and windows are kept closed for half an hour. For domestic
purposes, the hand gun with a fine nozzle is all that is necessary, but for
application on a large scale, power sprayers or “aerosol ” dispensers may be
needed .

• Pyrethrum sprays are effective in reducing the number of mosquitoes but

the reduction is only temporary since it has no residual action.

• Reinfestation from outside sources generally occurs within a short time,

(ii ) Residual Insecticides : New equipment has been developed for ULV (ultra
low volume) space spraying.

• The most extensively used insecticides are malathion and fenitrothion for
ULV fogging .
 GENETIC CONTROL
• (c ) Genetic control ( 14, 15 )
• In recent years, control of mosquitoes by genetic
methods such as sterile male technique , cytoplasmic
incompatibility, chromosomal translocations, sex
distortion , and gene replacement have been explored.
• Their use is still in the “ Research Phase ”. These
techniques have great potential in mosquito control (3)
• They also have certain advantages over chemical
methods, being cheaper and potentially more efficient
and above all not subject to
 MOSQUITO NET
• ( a ) Mosquito net
• The mosquito net offers protection against mosquito bites
during sleep.
• The material of the net should be white, to allow easy
detection of mosquitoes.
• The top as well as the sides of the net should be of netting.
The best pattern is the rectangular net.
• There should not be a single hole or rent in the net.
• The size of the openings in the net is of utmost importance -
the size should not exceed 0.0475 inch in any diameter. The
number of holes in one square inch is usually 150.
 SCREENING
• ( b) Screening
• Screening of buildings with copper or bronze
gauze having 16 meshes to the inch is
recommended.
• The aperture should not be larger than
0.0475 inch.
• Screening of buildings is costly, but gives
excellent results.
 REPELLANTS
• (c ) Repellents
• Diethyltoluamide (deet ) has been found to be an
outstanding all purpose repellent ( 10 ).
• It has been found to remain active against C. fatigans for
18-20 hours.
• There are others also which are effective: indalone ,
dimethyl phthalate , dimethyl carbate, ethyl hexanediol,
etc.
• Repellents or culicifuges are used mainly for application
on the skin , and their chief advantage is the short
duration of
 housefly
• IDENTIFICATION-
• Mouse gray in colour.
• Body is curved with sticky hair(tenet hair).
• Large compound eyes.
• Rectractile proboscis
• Dark longitudinal stripes on thorax.
• Dark & light marking on abdomen.
• Leg has apair of pads .
 HOUSEFLY
• BREEDING PLACES-
• Human and animal excreta
• Dumps,decaying garbage

• DISEASE TRANSMITTED—
• By mechanical transmission-
typhoid,cholera,gastroenteritis,amoebiasis,polio
,anthrax,trachoma,yaws,maggots causes
myiasis.
 HOUSEFLY
• HABITS-
• Lives close to breeding places.
• Restlessly moves from filth
( sputum ,faeces,wound,pus) to food vomits,
defecates feeds, & cleans its body very
frequently,has remarkable capacity to
reproduce.
• Not lives more than 48 hrs without water.
• Disperses upto 6 km ,lives for one month.
 HOUSEFLY
• CONTROL—
• Improvement of environmental & general sanitation
• Hygeine disposal of refuse & human & animal excreta
• Screening mesh– 14 holes per square inch,fly
traps,swatting,fly paper.
• Insecticides—
• Ddt 5% ; mixed with sugar & sprayed in

• Methoxychlor- 5% ; living & breeding places of flies.

• Lindane– 0.5% ;
 HOUSEFLY
• POISONS—fly baits,ribbons,fly papers
• LARVICIDES—Diazinon—2%
Dichlorovos– 2%
Dimethoate---1%
25-50 L/m2 in breeding places.
• Health education reguarding diseases
transmission & fly awareness.
 RAT FLEA
• IDENTIFICATION—
• Dark brown in colour
• Bilaterally compressed wingless body.
• Head is conical,attached directly to thorax(no
neck)
• Exoskeleton with bristles directed backward
• Three pairs of spiny strong limbs
• Foot end(claws) turned opposite direction.
RAT FLEA
 RAT FLEA
• THORAX-
• The thorax is composed of three segments-the
prothorax,mesothorax
and metathorax.
• Three pairs of strong legs attached to the thorax.The flea has
no wings.
• ABDOMEN-
• Consists of 10 segments.
• In male- there is coiled structure.the penis in the abdomen.
• In female there is a short ,stumpy structure the
spermatheca.
 RAT FLEA
• HABITS—
• Lives on rat,in rat burrows,store house, cracks,crevices,carpet
• Xenopsylla cheopis ,common rat flea of india
• Which is apowerful multiplier of plague bacilli.

• DISEASE TRANSMITTED—

• Bubonic plague is transmitted by bite of blocked flea( x..cheopis)

• Endemic ( murine) typhus is transmitted by contamination of skin with feces of
fleas.

• Chiggerosis—
• Both male & female suck the blood & transmit the plague bacilli from rat to rat
& rat to man.
 RAT FLEA
• CONTROL—
• Both rat & rat flea should be destroyed together.

• INSECTICIDES—
• DDT 10% ( dust where rodent moves & burrows)
• 5% indoor spray
• Dichlorovos resin strip
• Insufflation( disinfection) of ships,aircrafts.

• Rat destruction– poisnous bait,trapping,emitting hydrocyanic acid gas,rat

proofing
• Personal protection–
• Rpellants– Diethyltoluamide,Benzyl benzoate
 CRAB LOUSE
• The crab louse or pubic louse( phthirus pubis)
is generally found in the pubic and perineal
region.
• CHARECTRISTICS OF CRAB LOUSE-
• 1) Its small size and square body.
• 2) head impacted on the thorax.
• 3) powerful legs and claws.
• 4) The first pair of legs slenderer than others.
 HEAD LOUSE
• IDENTIFICATION—
• Dark greyish in colour( colour of hair)
• 1mm in size having head, thorax, abdomen
• Body is flattened dorsoventrally.
• Three pair of legs,no wings

• HABITS—
• Ectoparasite of man,infestation is called pediculosis.
• Head louse lives in hair of scalp.
• Body louse lives in hair of body & clothing.
• Pubic louse in pubic region
• Both sexes lives in the host.
 HEAD LOUSE
• DISSEMINATION—
• Directly by contact with lousy person
• Indirectly by using cloth,bedroom of lousy
person.
• Overcrowding ( school,jail,hostel,closed
communities) favours the spread.
• In women & children spread is more.
 HEAD LOUSE
DISEASES CAUSATIVE AGENT MODE OF SPREAD
EPIDEMIC TYPHUS RICKETTSIA PROWAZEKII Contact of lice feces
through abrasion or
unbroken skin
RELAPSING FEVER BORRELIA RECURRENTIS Crushed fluid
TRENCH FEVER RICKETTSIA QUINTANA Louse feces
 Head louse
• OTHERS : Heavy infection causes dermatitis due to scratching and
secondary infection
Skin pigmentation (vagabond disease), urticaria Insomnia due to irritation
• DELOUSING : Head louse – 0.5% malathion lotion is applied to head after a
hot bath, 12 to 24 hours later second application is done
Body louse- carbaryl 50 g /person is dusted on body and clothing
• Repeated after 2 day to destroy hatching lice (nits)
• Mass delousing is advocated
• Anti lice shampoos
• Phenothrin 0.2 – 0.4 %
• Deltamethrin 0.03% , pernethrin 1%, malathion 5%
• Emulsifiable concentrated NBIN (benzyl benzoate 68 %, DDT 6%,
Benzocaine 12% & tween 80 % to 14 % )
 HEAD LOUSE
• PREVENTION-
• Regular bath ,washing of cloths,maintaing
personal hyeigine,
• Health education
• Improving living standards
• Avoiding contact with infected person
• Hair should be cut short & kept clean
 SOFT TICK
• IDENTIFICATION-
• Oval shaped ,leathery body ,sufficiently big head lies
ventrally, not visible from above
• No antennae, 4 pairs of legs & no wings
• Scutum is absent.
• HABITS—
• Ectoparasites on multiple host
• Intermitently sucks the blood of mammals
• Soft tick lives in cracks, crevices, bedding, cattle shed,
human dwelling, withstand starvation for long time.
 SOFT TICK
• Disease trasmitted
• Q fever
• Relapsing fever
• Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) rarely
• Both sex transmitted in the disease.
• Transovarian transmission of infection to
progeny is present.
 SOFT TICK
• Control
• Environmental
– Filling up cracks and crevices
• Chemical
– Insecticide – indane, malathion, DDT, pyrithrum
dusting on infested animal.
• Personal
– Insectide repelents – Dibutylphthalate (DBP),
Diethyltolumide (DEET), Benzylbenzoate, wearing full
clothes and exmining body frequently.
 SAND FLY
• HABITS-
• Lives in cervices,holes,stone,rocks in hills,tables,store
rooms,etc.
• Breeds in cattle sheds, poultry,near bathroom,refuse,etc.
• Organic matter , shady places & loose soil is essential for
breeding
• Avoids light,bites mainly at night-bitesthe wrist & ankle
• It hops ,does not fly
• Only females are blood sucker
 SAND FLY
• IDENTIFICATION—
• Dark brown hairy body,smaller than mosquito
• Antinnae are long & filamented
• Lanceolate shaped wings
• Second vein of the wing devides twice
• Three pairs of very long & cylender legs
• Pair of large compound eyes
Disease Organism Mode of transmission

Kala azar Leishmania Bite

donovani (protozoa)

Sand Fly Virus Wound contmination

Fever with regurgitated saliva

Oriental Leishmania tropica Bite

sore
 SAND FLY
• CONTROL—
• INSECTICIDES—
• DDT—1-2 g/m2
• INDANE 0.25mg/m2 (spraying is done in all breeding places)
• Source reduction –
• Cleaning ,filling of cracks & cervices
• Keeping cattle & polutary outside the house
• PERSONAL PROTECTION—
• SAND FLY NET,(45 mesh / inch)impregnated with permethrin.
• Not walking in bare foot ,using gum boots & repellents to leg.
• Control
• Environmental
– Filling up cracks and crevices
• Chemical
– Insecticide – indane, malathion, DDT, pyrithrum
dusting on infested animal.
• Personal
– Insectide repelents – Dibutylphthalate (DBP),
Diethyltolumide (DEET), Benzylbenzoate, wearing full
clothes and exmining body frequently.
 CYCLOPS
• IDENTIFICATION–
• Pear shaped ( cephalothorax & abdomen)
• Semitransparent body , forked tail,one small
pigmented eye.
• Just visible to naked eye –1mm size
• Two pairs of antennae
• Five pairs of legs
 CYCLOPS
• HABITS—
• Lives in fresh water & acts as intermediate
host
• DISEASE TRANSMITTED—
• 1) Guinea worm dracunculasis(eradicated in
India) Intermediate host is cyclops.
• 2) Fish tapeworm
• 3) Diphyllobothrium latum infestation.
 CONTROL MEASURES
• PHYSICAL—Straining in muslin/nylon strainer
• --- Boiling the drinking water to 60
degree centigrade.
• CHEMICAL--- Chlorination –5 ppm
• --- Lime—4 gm/gallon of water
• ---- Abate--- 1 mg/litre
• PERMANENT--- Conversion of step well
• --- providing safe drinking water
• --- Health education