Publications by authors named "Vashkar Chowdhury"

Background Objectives: Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes breed in natural and artificial containers, and they transmit dengue and chikungunya. A study was conducted to identify the contribution of bamboo stumps to these disease vectors that were used in the flower garden as pillars to hold the bamboo flex fence.

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Background Objectives: Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes breed in natural and artificial containers, and they transmit dengue and chikungunya. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify the contribution of bamboo stumps to these disease vectors that were used in the flower garden as pillars to hold the bamboo flex fence.

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We undertook a study to assess current knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to kala-azar to advise the national kala-azar elimination program in Bangladesh. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in two endemic subdistricts (upazilas): Fulbaria and Trishal. Based on upazila health complex surveillance data, one endemic village was selected randomly from each of these subdistricts.

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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease, transmitted by the sand fly species Phlebotomus argentipes in the Indian sub-continent. Effective vector control is highly desirable to reduce vector density and human and vector contact in the endemic communities with the aim to curtail disease transmission. We evaluated the effect of long lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLIN) and bed nets impregnated with slow-release insecticide tablet K-O TAB 1-2-3 (jointly insecticide-treated nets or ITN) on VL incidence in a highly endemic sub-district (upazila) in Bangladesh.

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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian subcontinent is a fatal disease if left untreated. Between 1994 to 2013, the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh reported 1,09,266 cases of VL and 329 VL related deaths in 37 endemic districts. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) using dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was used by the national programme in the 1960s to control malaria.

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Background: The sand fly Phlebotomus argentipes is the vector for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian sub-continent. In Bangladesh since 2012, indoor residual spraying (IRS) was applied in VL endemic areas using deltamethrin. In Nepal, IRS was initiated in 1992 for VL vector control using lambda-cyhalothrin.

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Background: A number of studies on visceral leishmaniasis (VL) vector control have been conducted during the past decade, sometimes came to very different conclusion. The present study on a large sample investigated different options which are partially unexplored including: (1) indoor residual spraying (IRS) with alpha cypermethrin 5WP; (2) long lasting insecticide impregnated bed-net (LLIN); (3) impregnation of local bed-nets with slow release insecticide K-O TAB 1-2-3 (KOTAB); (4) insecticide spraying in potential breeding sites outside of house using chlorpyrifos 20EC (OUT) and different combinations of the above.

Methods: The study was a cluster randomized controlled trial where 3089 houses from 11 villages were divided into 10 sections, each section with 6 clusters and each cluster having approximately 50 houses.

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Background & Objectives: In 2000, a dengue outbreak occurred in Bangladesh that included Dhaka City. Both dengue vectors, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are present in Bangladesh.

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Article Synopsis
  • In 2005, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal set a goal to eliminate Visceral Leishmaniasis (kala-azar) by 2015, targeting less than one new case per 10,000 people annually in Bangladesh.
  • Between 1994 and 2013, over 109,000 cases were reported, with Mymensingh district accounting for a significant portion (49.04%), but only 16 areas showed annual case rates exceeding the elimination threshold.
  • As of 2013, 16 regions still hadn't met the elimination target, highlighting the need for better monitoring and reporting methods in the initiative.
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