A Preliminary Survey of Chironomidae (Diptera) as Vector of V. cholera

Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) or “non-biting midges” are known to be carriers of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium responsible for the fatal cholera disease in humans. Chironomids are holometabolous, most widely distributed and often the most abundant insect in fresh water. Females deposit egg masses, each containing hundreds of eggs encased in a layer of gelatin at the water's edge; a convenient location for bacteria to exploit this nutrient rich substrate. V. cholerae transmitted from one water body to other by the imagoes of these non-biting midges. Seven species of the midges namely Tanytarsus ipei Maheshwari, Indoparatrissocladius sp, Indoparacladius stjohnai Maheshwari Procladius pentadonti Maheshwari, Microdentus monodonti Maheshwari, Orthocladius cordiensis Maheshwari and Indometriocnemus yamunai Maheshwari are being reported as the vector of cholera bacterium. Aquatic environment can serve as good reservoir of the bacteria. The main difference between the epidemiology of cholera during few past years was variation between serogroups. A new serotype was discovered in 2009 which is more infectious than the previous one