ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Presently, India is heading towards malaria elimination. In this context, analysing malaria epidemiological data of endemic pockets is important. In the present investigation, malaria prevalence in two endemic coastal localities of India viz., Besant Nagar (Chennai district) and Pamban (Ramanathapuram district) was analysed from 2004 to 2019 and correlated with the highest maximum temperature. METHODS: Malaria surveillance data and entomological data from the malaria clinics were used to investigate epidemiological parameters. The annual malaria cases were correlated with the highest maximum temperature. RESULTS: The analysis showed that the malaria case (P.v. and P.f.) reports were directly proportional to the temperature increase. Malaria cases were remarkably increased from 2004 to 2011 and subsequently, both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum cases were drastically reduced till 2019. P. vivax was higher than P. falciparum and the male population was found to be more affected. Mixed infection of P. vivax and P. falciparum was observed only in the Besant Nagar site (0.3%). The most affected age group was the adult age group (15 years and above) in both Besant Nagar (76.1%) and Pamban (69.5%). CONCLUSION: Improved surveillance, complete treatment and integrated vector control activities correlated with a declining trend of malaria cases in both the coastal sites towards malaria elimination.
