A Handbook on Medical Entomology for Medical Students and Health Care Professionals co-authored by Dr.K.N.Panicker, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Community Medicine at the Amrita School of Medicine was recently published by Paras Medical Books.

The book is also co-authored by Dr. Geme Urge Dori of the Medical Faculty of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

Dr. K. N. Panicker has taught in medical universities of Ethiopia, Japan and India. He has also worked with the World Health Organization’s special program for research and training in Tropical Diseases. He has gained extensive experience in medical entomology both in India and abroad.

“In spite of the fact that the public health scenario is dominated by vector–borne diseases, our medical students get very little exposure to medical entomology which forms the backbone of this subject. This is true not only in India, but in Africa also where the problem is more severe. Having worked in these two places, it was felt that such a book was very much needed,” stated Dr. Panicker.

The book contains descriptions of vector-borne diseases (where the infectious microbe is transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods to humans), their prevention and control. The ecology, biology and public health importance of the vectors is also addressed.

Divided into thirteen chapters, the book is primarily meant for medical students. It includes information about black flies, vectors of onchocerciasis (river blindness) in the African region, sand flies, vectors of leishmaniasis; biting midges and horse flies, tsetse flies, vectors of trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness), house flies and mechanical vectors of many other diseases.

Also included is information about flesh flies infecting wounds, fleas and lice vectors of plague and typhus, bed bugs and triatomine bugs, vectors of chagas disease, cockroaches, mechanical vectors of many enteric pathogens, ticks, vectors of many viral diseases, mites causing scabies, fresh water snails and vectors of schistosomiasis.

“This hand book is only a preliminary attempt. A modified version with detailed epidemiology of these diseases is being planned,” shared Dr. Panicker.

The book has 131 pages and retails in India for a price of Rs. 150.

The book was officially released by Shri. K. J. Sohan, Former Mayor of Corporation of Kochi and Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on July 4, 2013.

Dr. Vijaya Kumar, Professor and Head, Medical College Trivandrum; Dr. Leelamoni, Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine at Amrita and Dr. Sairu Philip, Professor of Community Medicine, Medical College Alappuzha received the first copies.

July 29, 2013
School of Medicine, Kochi