Faculty Members:

Division of Medical Entomology and Vector Control renamed as Centre for Medical Entomology and Vector Management is one of the oldest disciplines of the erstwhile Malaria Institute of India (MII) and has done pioneering work of the prevalence, distribution, ecology, vector incrimination and dynamics of malaria and filariasis transmission with a view to formulate appropriate strategies for the control of vector borne diseases in different parts of the country. During 1963, MII was renamed as NICD and its activities were reorganized and expanded to cover other communicable diseases. Accordingly the activities of Medical Entomology and Vector Control were also reorganized to develop it as a national centre par excellence for undertaking research, provide technical support and develop trained manpower in the field of vector-borne diseases and their control at national and regional level.

Major activities of the centre are:

1. Entomological investigations of outbreaks of vector-borne diseases in the                   country.

2.Risk assessment of vector borne diseases in areas affected due to natural disasters like earthquake, flood, tsunami and cyclone.

3.Laboratory and field evaluation of various formulations of insecticides against         vectors and pests of public health importance

4.Laboratory and field investigations of biological control agents against arthropods of medical importance

5. Insecticide susceptibility tests of natural population of vectors of human diseases from different parts of the country.

6. Maintenance of a reference collection museum of preserved specimens of arthropods of medical importance to facilitate identification and taxonomic studies.

7. Maintenance of live cultures of arthropods of medical importance for teaching, supply and research purposes for scientific workers within and outside the institute

8. Organize various ad-hoc and regular training courses on vector-borne diseases and their control.

9. Maintenance of  fish hatcheries of larvivorous fishes viz. Gambusia affinis and Poecilia reticulata for supply to various agencies in the country for the control of larval breeding and to initiate fish culture

Research Activities

The focus of all research activities is on bionomics and ecology of vector arthropods in relation to the dynamics of disease transmission.

Entomological Museum

Entomological museum at the Centre For Medical Entomology and Vector Management is one of the oldest museums in the country and contains many species of insects (Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Orthoptera) few arachnids. It has 1, 08,757 specimens (89,464 mosquitoes belonging to 31 genera and 539 species). Besides these, there are 19,293 entomological specimens other than mosquitoes. The oldest specimen is fromUnited Kingdom collected in 1902, and the oldest mosquito collection from India is of a malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies collected in 1905 from Karnal ,Haryana State. 

Mosquito blood meal analysis

Blood meal samples of mosquitoes and sandflies collected routinely or during outbreak investigations or received from various agencies are being processed to identify the source of blood meal ingested by them using Gel-diffusion techniques. This helps in identifying the role of vector species operating in an area and to devise appropriate vector control strategies

Virus- Antigen detection lab.

           A new lab for detecting arboviruses like Dengue & JE from mosquitoes has     

 been established in the CME&VM in 2007  

Research Projects:

1.       Dengue vector ecology and surveillance in Delhi (Ongoing )

2.       JE vector ecology in a JE endemic area of Shahranpur district, UP (Completed)

3.       Ecology & dynamics of Culex quinquefaciatus, a vector of filariasis in Varanasi ( completed)

4.       Breeding ecology of Kala-azar vector P.argentipes  in Bihar (completed)

5.       Distribution of known vectors of Plague, Scrub Typhus and KFD in India ( Ongoing )

6.       Susceptibility status of Kala-azar vector  P.argentipes  to various insecticides in Bihar (completed)

      Publication of Manuals, Proceedings and Research Papers

     The Centre prepared the following Manuals or Proceedings of workshops held at     

      NICD:

      1.Proceedings of Workshop on "Vector-Borne Diseases & Control" - 1987

2.Manual on "Entomological Surveillance of Vector-Borne diseases" - 1989

3. Proceedings of Workshops on "Bioassay Techniques" - 1989

4. Proceedings of Workshops on "Entomological and Vector Control aspects of      Kala-azar" - 1993

5. Proceedings of "Conference of Public Health Entomologists" - 1996

Award of Ph.D degree

            The following officers of the centre were conferred Ph.D degree by various universities while working on the various aspects of arthropods:

1.Dr. S.K. Sharma, Ex-Joint Director and Head

"Studies on the external morphology, ecology and susceptibility of cyclops species in and around Delhi with special reference to Mesocyclops leuckarti (c,laus)" Meerut University , Meerut (1980)

2.Dr. Kaushal Kumar, Joint Director

"Morphology, anatomy, life history and toxicological studies of Indian dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus" Meerut University , Meerut (1982)

3.Dr. Kuldip Singh Gill, Joint Director (Presently in NVBDCP)

"Laboratory and field evaluation of synthetic pyrethroid (Deltamethrin) against some of the Anopheline and Culicine vectors" Meerut University , Meerut (1994)

4.Dr. Rakesh Katyal, Assistant Director – S 3

"Studies on the Bio-ecology of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti, a vector of Dengue/ Dengue Haemorrhagic fever (Culicidae; Diptera; Insecta)" Punjab University , Chandigarh (2000)

5.Dr. Kalpana Baruah, Assistant Director –S 3 (Presently in NVBDCP)

"Ethnobiological impact on malaria in Sonapur in relation to Anopheles minimus (Theobald, 1901)" Gauhati University , Gauhati (2000)

     6.Dr. T.G. Thomas, Assistant Director- S 3

 "Studies on the ecology of Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito, vector of Japanese encephalitis in National Zoological Park , Delhi ", Meerut University , Meerut

Faculty members recognised as Guides and Examiners for Ph.D, M.Sc. & B.Sc Theory and Practical examinations by various universities

GGSIP University

      1.  Dr. V. K. Saxena – Ph. D. supervisor 

2.Dr. Kaushal Kumar - Ph. D. supervisor   

3. Dr. B.P.Das - Ph. D. supervisor 

4. Dr.V.K.Raina - Ph. D. supervisor 

5. Dr.L.J.Kanhekar - Ph. D. supervisor 

Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut

1. Dr. Kaushal Kumar - Ph. D. supervisor  & examiner B.Sc. Exam

2. Dr. T.G. Thomas - Examiner B.Sc. Exam

     Delhi University

         Dr. Kaushal Kumar – Examiner for Ph.D. Thesis & M.Sc. practical

NICD, Kala-azar Unit, Patna(Bihar)

            NICD Kala-azar Unit, Patna was established during 1976 to carry out research on various aspects of Kala-azar. The main objectives of the branch are as follows:

·         To undertake in-depth studies on the resurgence of Kala-azar in Bihar

·         To carry out detailed entomological studies on the prevalence, distribution, population dynamics of Kala-azar vector, dynamics of disease transmission and vector control measures thereof.

·         To undertake detailed parasitological surveys to assess the magnitude of problem in various affected districts

·         To carry out studies on the zoonotic reservoir of Kala-azar, if any

·         To develop diagnostic techniques for the rapid diagnosis of Kala-azar cases

·         To recommend suitable drug therapy and vector control strategy

·         To develop trained man-power for the effective surveillance and control of Kala-azar

·         Maintenance of colonies of Ph. argentipes, vector of Kala-azar and Ph.papatasi, vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis for various experimental, teaching and supply purposes.

·         Maintenance of culture of Leishmania donovani body for research, teaching and supply purposes

·         OPD clinic is being run for the diagnosis and treatment of Kala-azar and PKDL cases

·         Undertakes outbreak investigations of Kala-azar and other communicable diseases viz, Encephalitis, Meningitis, Eruptive fever, Cholera, Gastro-enteritis, Diarrhoea, Jaundice, etc. and recommend suitable measures for their containment

·         Entomological surveillance of vector sandflies is being undertaken in different endemic and non-endemic areas in the States of Bihar, West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh,  species identified and dissected to detect the presence of flagellates i.e. promastigote to assess the disease transmission potential.

Diagnostic services

            Serological (aldehyde) tests are being carried out on routine basis and suspected Kala-azar cases are diagnosed by bone-marrow examination and L.D. body culture from aspirated material. PKDL cases are diagnosed by examining the skin strip slides for L.D body and by raising L.D. body culture from aspirated material from skin lesions, if any.