Gambusia Fish
18-07-2023
1 min read
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Overview:
Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government has released approximately 10 million Gambusia fish into the state’s water bodies to combat mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.
Why in news?
- The release of these invasive alien fish species has raised concerns about the potential harm that will be sustained by native species that abound in the state’s freshwater bodies.
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About Gambusia Fish
- It is also known as mosquito fish, and is widely used as a biological agent for controlling mosquito larvae.
- It is native to the waters of the south-eastern United States.
- It has been a part of mosquito-control strategies for over a century in various parts of the world, including India.
- A single full grown fish eats about 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day.
- Also it has been part of various malaria control strategies in India since 1928, including the Urban Malaria Scheme.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Gambusia one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world.
Key facts about Malaria
- Malaria is a disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite.
- The parasite can be spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
- Transmission:
- The plasmodium parasite is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are known as "night-biting" mosquitoes because they most commonly bite between dusk and dawn.
- There are many different types of plasmodium parasite, but only 5 types cause malaria in humans.
- Plasmodium falciparum: It is mainly found in Africa, it's the most common type of malaria parasite and is responsible for most malaria deaths worldwide.
- Plasmodium vivax : It is mainly found in Asia and South America, this parasite causes milder symptoms than Plasmodium falciparum, but it can stay in the liver for up to 3 years, which can result in relapses.
- Plasmodium ovale: Fairly uncommon and usually found in West Africa, it can remain in your liver for several years without producing symptoms.
- Plasmodium malariae: This is quite rare and usually only found in Africa.
- Plasmodium knowlesi: This is very rare and found in parts of Southeast Asia.
Q1) What is Plasmodium?
Plasmodium is a genus of parasitic protozoa that causes malaria in humans and other animals. It belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa and is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
Source: Gambusia: This solution could actually be an invasive problem