US entomologist Dr Ratton feels Kala-azar can again breakout in India

Dr K K Kaushik

Muzaffarpur : Noted Kala-azar expert and an Entomologist at an institute of Vector Borne Diseases in USA Dr Edgar Ratton on February 10 said that Kala-azar could again breakout in India and toadvised the Government of India (GOI) to adopt new techniques to combat it. He stressed on training of doctors in the latest techniques to treat Kala-azar. Dr Ratton said that Kala-azar vector Sandfly thrives on wet and densely populated places which they find quite easily in India. The DDT can no longer destroy infected Sandfly, he said adding that efforts were on to kill them using other chemicals but so far it has not succeeded in Indian condition.

Dr Ratton emphasised on monitoring of the disease. He said that in incidence of Kala -azar was severe in some parts of Bihar and UP and said the expert should the give special attention to the transmission of the disease.  He said that the infected Sandfly enters a human body and converts into a particular protozoa and easily enters another body.  The doctors
in India do not follow a uniform standard to treat Kala-azar patients.