Biological perspective of tsunami: a relief strategy--biopesticide spray operation for the mosquitoes, flies and disease control at the tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India.

Murugan, K. ; Vanithakumari, G. ; Noortheen, A. 等

Biopesticides spray operations have been done at the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry for the control of mosquito vectors and flies. Biopesticides (plant extracts and bacterial toxins) spray operation at the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu such as Velankanni, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore, and Pondicherry, India for the control of mosquito, flies, and other diseases causing microorganisms. Our bioformulations from Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India possesses mosquito larvicidal effect, antibiotic, antibacterial, antiviral properties and it has right combination of herbal and bacterial toxins.

INTRODUCTION

Tsunami occurred on 26th December 2004 and in India more than 8000 people were killed due to the massive attack. The worst affected districts in the Tamil Nadu were Viz., Vellankanni, Nagapattinam d Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, India. Official sources said that due to massive death of animals and human beings, the public health has been spoiled and it will cause further outbreak of infectious diseases like diarrhea, cholera and mosquito transmitting diseases. After a week there was a report of incidents of mosquito transmitting diseases such malaria, and dengue. Tsunami made breeding ground for mosquito vector and thereby invasion of mosquito transmitting diseases at the Tsunami affected areas such Vellankanni, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore Tamil Nadu, India

Team has also sprayed biocides with suitable herbal combinations and had sprayed on the streets and human dwelling areas at the Thevanampatinam and Thalanguda villages of Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Due to evasion of chicken pox due to the dumping of old clothes donated by people, our operations had a timely impact on further outbreak of viral fever in populations at the villages. District Collector, Thiru. Gangan Deep Singh Bedi I.A.S., Cuddalore had visited the Operational spot and appreciated the Team's work. Hence, the above said spray operation not only helped in control of mosquito larvae and there by solving vector borne diseases at helped in indirectly killing microorganisms to provide sustainable protection against infectious diseases like chicken pox and dermal diseases.

In the present study, our biopesticides application was effective against mosquito population and flies. Our biopesticides applications were a right combination of botanicals really had good impact on the other viral and bacterial diseases prevalent in the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu. For example, at Cuddalore and Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India Chicken pox has been noted during the 3rd and 4th week of January, 2005. It may be due to viral invasion at the Tsunami affected area and it might have been due to the dumping of old cloth donated by public and it has been found that the dormant viral bodies had got virulent after soaking in to the water. Hence, our herbal extracts were capable of destroying viruses and had inhibitory effect on the growth of bacteria and in total it had an ability to destroy growth of disease-causing organisms (Antimicrobial). Therefore, our biopesticides operation was really successful in spraying in the infected area (death of animals and human being). Some of the active chemicals present in the neem and other herbals offer a non-toxic alternative to synthetic drugs and disinfectants.

People of Tsunami affected areas have already had a severe shock, had lost all the possessions in the form of materials and relations. Due to the invasion of newer disease causing organisms producing chicken pox, dermal diseases and mosquito transmitting diseases like malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis etc., as well as the spread of infectious diseases from the burial bodies due to the pollution that has emerged from the dense population at concentrated area, this has created, in turn will an enhancement of stress and trauma already faced by the Tsunami affected people. Hence, eradication of these kinds of situational diseases by using synthetic chemicals will pose newer intolerable problems to the Tsunami affected people.

Occurrence of dermal disease was also a major problem in the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu. Our biopesticides operation at the streets, houses and temporary shelters had definite protective effect on the people, because our herbal formulations have nutritive fatty acids and contain all these viral nutrients in significant quantities. Our herbal ingredients had already been reported to be used for treatment of many skin ailments. It is important to note that neem and turmeric have rejuvenating qualities and are absorbed quickly by the skin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Biopesticides spray operations have been carried out at the various villages of Velankanni (Kallar, Sebastian Street and Seruthur), Nagapattinam (Akkaraipettai) and Cuddalore (Thevanampattinam and Thalanguda). Team consists of 10 members of the Zoology Department, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, and India. Spray operation made at the various mosquito-breeding places of Tsunami affected areas in the above said areas. Selection of Tsunami affected areas was done with help of Official Co-ordinator of Tsunami Task Force, Tamil Nadu. Spray operations done in and around the houses, streets, and water stagnant areas such as cesspool, ditches, and other open house hold containers. Biopesticides spray also done at the temporary shelters of the Tsunami affected people, temples and schools etc., Biopesticides have been sprayed uniformly on the surface of the breeding habitat such as ditches, cesspool and other temporary water bodies at Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu. Dipper sampling and counting of the larvae monitored and larval density before 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs after the treatment. A separate sample was taken to determine the special composition of each larval habitat.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

It is important to note that the there was higher incidence of flies, which have emerged from the buried bodies and other dead animals at the Tsunami affected areas. After Tsunami incidence the dead bodies have been buried in a single place and it was a conducive right atmosphere for the flies complete fit to their complete their life cycle. Hence, spray operation was also done at the mass burial places of the Tsunami affected areas for the control of flies, which cause further infectious diseases. The biopesticides have greatly affected flies larvae (maggots), which could not molt into pupa for further emergence. Since, plant derived compounds distinctly affect the developmental stages of insects, it has distinct advantages over synthetic pesticides.

Lethal concentration were also worked out to find out the efficacy of our sprayed biopesticides against mosquito larvae populations of Tsunami affected areas and mosquito larvae collected from Coimbatore (Table 1). The result of the lethal dose has shown interesting trend. Higher doses were needed to kill the mosquito larvae collected from the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu. The percentage difference between the lethal value were also worked out and it was interesting to note that the percentage difference of L[C.sub.50] and L[C.sub.90] values were higher for the mosquito population from Tsunami affected areas larval population than the mosquito population from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

The team has also inspected and analyzed the efficacy of biopesticides at already sprayed areas of mosquito and flies infected areas after 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs of durations (Table 2). Really, spray operations were very successful and it has been noted that, biopesticides greatly affected the egg and larval populations of mosquito vectors and had eradicated them completely.

Synthetic organic insecticides, although has higher efficacious against target species such as mosquito and flies, it can be detrimental to a variety of animal life including man. In addition to adverse environmental ill effects, they affected non-target organisms also moreover most of mosquito species have become physiologically resistant to these synthetic organic insecticides. The present biopesticides spray operation had significant impact on mosquito and flies and the oily nature of organic extracts of plants and bacterial toxins have interfered with the larval respiration as well as had induced toxicity to the gut system and brought out mortality of mosquito larvae.

The team has done good work for the cause of public and this operation is the need of the hour to control the infection from mosquito, flies and thereby prevent the health hazards and relieve the people from further stress and strain in the present situations. We need long-term project to control vectors and other infectious diseases like chicken pox and other dermal diseases.

Management plans and awareness programme should be adapted for the control and prevention of mosquito, flies and other disease causing organisms at the Tsunami affected areas by following these strategies.

i) Avoid stagnant water for the prevention of mosquito breeding

ii) Need good environment (free from garbage and plant animal debris) for control of flies.

iii) Public toiletry facilities to be improved.

iv) Stop usage of old cloths, from others.

v) Good drainage facilities.

Training and awareness programme to be include:

i) To give demonstration about the life history and distribution and seasonal abundance of mosquito vectors and flies to the people of Tsunami affected villages.

ii) To show video presentation about the pathogenic organisms of mosquito transmitted diseases such as malaria, filariasis, dengue and other disease (chicken pox, dermal and other diseases).

iii) To teach the necessary safeguard measure against future natural disasters like Tsunami, flood, fire etc.,

The killer waves have not only washed boats, other implements and other household articles, but also had filled water in the opened materials that also had given enough moisture in about 2 to 3 km radius for the mosquito breeding. It is also of doubt that the minerals of volcano particles from deep sea might have contaminated the soil for the early proliferation of the microorganisms and mosquito breeding.

Our spray operation had good impact on the control measures as

i) Mosquito larval control at the breeding habitats of Tsunami affected areas was effective for the further prevention of mosquito-transmitted diseases such malaria, filarial and dengue fever.

ii) Effective flies control was evident at the breeding habitats of Tsunami affected areas (plant and debris of animal and human beings).

iii) Prevention and control of spread of further infectious disease causing microorganism, which cause dermal, chicken pox and diarrhea (virus, bacteria and fungi).

iv) Suggestions to the locals for planting of medical and aromatic plants such as neem, pongamia and nochi at the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu, India and also along the entire coastal system explaining their role as physical barriers, as well as readymade pharmaceutical uses for the emergency medical purposes. Suggestions for use of appropriate animal system (Rats, Dogs etc.,) could also be employed for the forecasting for the forecasting disaster, as they indicate through their changed behaviors.

CONCLUSION

People of Tsunami affected areas have already had a severe shock, had lost all the possessions in the form of materials and relations. Due to the invasion of newer disease causing organisms producing chicken pox, dermal diseases and mosquito transmitting diseases like malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis etc., as well as the spread of infectious diseases from the burial bodies due to the pollution that has emerged from the dense population at concentrated area, this has created, in turn will an enhancement of stress and trauma already faced by the Tsunami affected people. Hence, eradication of these kinds of situational diseases by using synthetic chemicals will pose newer intolerable problems to the Tsunami affected people. This is just a small effort of ours. However, exploration of entire coastal system needs similar treatment in a big way. Authorities should concentrate on such management strategies to prevent the outbreak of epidemics and encourage researchers involved in such activities. The ad "prevention is better than cure" is very apt in this situation. The only plant-based insecticides will be effective and long lasting as compared with synthetic pesticides. Moreover, biopesticides of plant origin need to be tested to provide a cheap and environmentally safe solution to the present problems.

MURUGAN, K., VANITHAKUMARI, G. AND NOORTHEEN, A. Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore - 641 046, India.

Table 1. Toxicity evaluation of Biopesticides on the larvae 4th instar
larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Liston at Tsunami affected area,
Akkaraipettai, Nagapattinam District and Thevanampattinam, Cuddalore
District, Tamil Nadu., India.

 Observed Probit
Concentration Number of Mortality Analysis of
(ppm) Larvae in Akkaraipettai Akkaraipettai

2.00 100 24e L[C.sub.50]
4.00 100 32d 14.57
8.00 100 49c
16.00 100 60b L[C.sub.90]
32.00 100 69a 49.38

 Observed Probit
Concentration Number of Mortality in Analysis of
(ppm) Larvae Thevanampattinam Thevanmpattinam

2.00 100 29d L[C.sub.50]
4.00 100 37cd 10.8
8.00 100 52c
16.00 100 67b L[C.sub.90]
32.00 100 75a 43.33

Within a column means followed by the same letter(s) are not
significantly different at 5% level by DMRT.

Table 2. Field trial of Biopesticides at Tsunami affected area,
Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.

Sl. No. Larval Density

 Before After treatment
 treatment 24h 48h 72h

1. 20 4 - -
2. 25 2 - -
3. 16 5 2 -
4. 14 5 1 -
5. 22 3 1 -
6. 18 1 - -
Total 115 20 4 -
Average 19.16 3.33 0.66 -
% Reduction 82.6% 96.5% 100%

1. Place: Akkaraipettai, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India.

2. Habitat: Drainage (Tsunami contaminated water)

3. Size: 3mx 2m

4. Depth: 1cm

5. Species: Culex quinquefasciatus

6. Stage: Larvae

7. Calculation: 3x 2= 6 x 1= 6 liters.

8. Required concentration: 296.28 ppm