Comparison of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying to control the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh.

Integrated vector management is a pillar of the South Asian visceral leishmaniasis (VL) elimination program, but the best approach remains a matter of debate. Sand fly seasonality was determined in 40 houses sampled monthly. The impact of interventions on Phlebotomus argentipes density was tested from 2006-2007 in a cluster-randomized trial with four arms: indoor residual spraying (IRS), insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), environmental management (EVM), and no intervention.

Detection of malaria parasites in mosquitoes from the malaria-endemic area of Chakaria, Bangladesh.

Malaria is one of the major public health problems of Bangladesh. We investigated the mosquito populations infected with malaria parasites in a malaria-endemic area Chakaria, Bangladesh, where Anopheles dirus and Anopheles minimus are the principal vectors. Anopheles mosquitoes were collected with a CDC miniature light trap from inside households in June 2007.

Risk factors for kala-azar in Bangladesh.

Since 1990, South Asia has experienced a resurgence of kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis). To determine risk factors for kala-azar, we performed cross-sectional surveys over a 3-year period in a Bangladeshi community. By history, active case detection, and serologic screening, 155 of 2,356 residents had kala-azar with onset from 2000 to 2003.

Visceral leishmaniasis: consequences of a neglected disease in a Bangladeshi community.

Visceral leishmaniasis, or kala azar (KA), affects the rural poor, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We examined the epidemiologic, social, and economic impact of KA in a village in Bangladesh. A population-based survey among 2,348 people demonstrated a KA incidence of 2% per year from 2000 to 2002, with a case-fatality rate of 19% among adult women, compared with 6-8% among other demographic groups.