A Report on Vector Surveillance for Zika/Dengue at CCS International Airport, Lucknow, India

Abstract

In view of reports of Zika outbreak from Gujarat & Rajasthan states, an entomological surveillance of Aedes aegypti vector was carried out at Adani Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) International Airport, Lucknow and its adjoining areas between 2016 to 2019. The regular monitoring of the vector and effective intervention measures prevented the invasion of new pathogen of Zika and Yellow fever pathogen (virus) by bringing down the Aedes aegypti vector density at lowest level. The entomological indices worked out in 2016 as the premise index in the month of February, June and August, were remained positive for Aedes aegypti and container index (CI) was found 14.14. The House Index (HI), Container Index (CI) & Breteau Index (BI) were 24.50, 17.51 & 25.27, respectively in residential colony of Air Port Staff located at a distance of 0.50 km, whereas, indices were found very high i.e. 37.50, 25.50 & 57.62, respectively in Farrukhabad/Chillawan civil inhabitation located at a distance of 2.0 Kilometre. With the dedicated efforts of Airport Authority of India and State Health Department, Aedes aegypti indices gradually declined to very low level as the premise were positive for Aedes aegypti larvae but container index inside & outside airport premise became 2.70 & 4.37 respectively in early half of 2019. The HI, CI & BI were found 2.57, 2.69 & 3.09 in the airport residential colony and 3.15, 2.57 & 2.77, respectively in civil inhabitation i.e. Farrukhabad/Chillawan area in early half of 2019. The collateral impact of low vector density resulted drastic decline in dengue morbidity by 83.73% & 74.74% and in mortality by 88.89% & 94.44%, during 2017 & 2018 respectively in comparison to 2016 and the case fatality rate (CFR) declined from 0.65% in 2016 to 0.14% in 2018. However no death was documented due to Chikungunya in Lucknow and the morbidity though was doubled in 2017 & declined again to the level of 2016, but remained very less in comparison to dengue, as only 44, 80 & 47 cases of Chikungunya were reported during 2016, 2017 & 2018, respectively. The Airport also achieved the dividend in the form of conferring the title of Best Airport of the year 2018 in size & region managing the cleanliness in increased thrust of passengers’ load to more than double in limited resources.