Puducherry had reported regular dengue outbreaks since 2003 with many-fold increase in number of cases every year. This study was done to assess the intensity of dengue vector breeding and diversity of breeding habitats. Aedes surveys were conducted in 8 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) representing both rural and urban areas of Puducherry district throughout the year 2012. Containers inside and outside randomly (simple) selected houses and vacant sites around houses were examined for presence of Aedes mosquitoes. The containers containing water with immature larvae were designated as positive containers (PC), while the containers holding only water were designated as wet containers and all the larvae/pupae from the positive containers were collected and entomological indices were determined using standard WHO methods. The vectors, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were encountered in the survey, with Ae. aegypti present in high numbers in urban as well as rural areas. The plastic containers were found as the most productive indoor breeding habitat as the 27.2% of the total pupae collected was contributed by plastic containers followed by flower vase (22.8%) and grinding stone (17.6%). Larval indices were found to vary throughout the year and highest indices were recorded during the months of October and November indicating the potential risk of dengue fever during this period.

Unused and discarded latex collection containers (LCCs) are the major breeding habitats of Aedes albopictus in the rubber plantations of Kerala, India. Platynectes sp. (Family: Dytiscidae) was observed to invade these habitats during the monsoon season and voraciously devour the larval instars of this major vector species of arbo-viral diseases. Field observations showed a reduction of 70.91% (p = 0.0017) and 100% in Aedes larval density, on the first and four days post release of eight beetles per LCC respectively. In laboratory, a beetle was found to devour 17.75 + 5.0 late larval instars of Ae. albopictus per day. Our findings indicate Platynectes sp. could be a potential bio-control agent against Ae. albopictus, the vector of chikungunya/dengue fevers, in rubber plantations.

Background/Aims: In this meta-analysis, we studied the safety and efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: Multiple databases were searched, and studies were retrieved based on pre-specified criteria until October 2022. The outcomes assessed were resection rates, procedural complications, local recurrence, metachronous tumors, and the need for surgery after ESD in IBD. Standard meta-analysis methods were followed using the random-effects model, and I2% was used to assess heterogeneity. Results: Twelve studies comprising 291 dysplastic lesions in 274 patients were included with a median follow-up of 25 months. The pooled en-bloc resection, R0 resection, and curative resection rates were 92.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.9%–95.4%; I2=0%), 81.5% (95% CI, 72.5%–88%; I2=43%), and 48.9% (95% CI, 32.1%–65.9%; I2=87%), respectively. The local recurrence rate was 3.9% (95% CI, 2%–7.5%; I2=0%). The pooled rates of bleeding and perforation were 7.7% (95% CI, 4.5%–13%; I2=10%) and 5.3% (95% CI, 3.1%–8.9%; I2=0%), respectively. The rates of metachronous recurrence and additional surgery following ESD were 10% (95% CI, 5.2%–18.2%; I2=55%) and 13% (95% CI, 8.5%–19.3%; I2=54%), respectively. Conclusions ESD is safe and effective for the resection of dysplastic lesions in IBD with an excellent pooled rate of en-bloc and R0 resection.