The Geographical Analysis of Malaria Pf Hotspot Hyper Endemic Region in Association with Environmental Determinants in Tripura, India

Abstract

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in the state of Tripura, North-Eastern India, where environmental conditions have perpetuated its endemic situation over the several decades. The longitudinal trends of malaria Pf prevalence was analyzed with environmental determinants. Tripura has an environmental landscape featuring dense forests, extensive paddy cultivation, high soil moisture, and abundant surface water bodies along with a humid tropical climate, creating favorable conditions for malaria transmission throughout the year. The integrated remote sensing and GIS, was applied to analyze the environmental factors including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), and long-term precipitation with malaria hotspot hyper-endemic regions. A significant correlation was observed between malaria incidence and climatic variables, particularly precipitation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) indicates the density and health of vegetation closely linked to mosquito habitats. The Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) was employed to detect surface water bodies, serving as breeding sites for malaria vectors. The Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) was used to assess surface soil moisture, reflecting areas where water surfaces favor vector breeding. High soil moisture content, persistent humidity, and wet topographic features were also found suitable for mosquito breeding, and thereby found sustaining active malaria transmission throughout the year. Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) categories are spatially associated with malaria Pf prevalence. Targeted interventions based on environmental risk profiling could significantly enhance malaria control in Tripura.