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Background & objectives: After launching of NFME and NSP with wide scale implementation of effective intervention tools during 2017, Odisha State of India observed a drastic reduction of malaria cases (81%) in 2018 and 88.6% in 2019, compared to 2017. The current study analysed the different factors causative for malaria reduction in Koraput district of Odisha State, India. Methods: The vector density and malaria incidences were assessed from January 2016 to December 2019 and human blood index, bio-efficacy and use rate of LLINs were assessed after distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets. Results: The use rate of LLINs by the villagers ranged from 93.8% to 100% throughout the year. The mortality of Anopheles jeyporiensis remained 100.0% in both DuraNet and PermaNet LNs. The density of An. fluviatilis after distribution of LLINs reduced from 4.7 to 0.0 whereas, the density of An. culicifacies reduced from 12.2 to 9.3. The HBI of An. fluviatilis and An. culicifacies was 0.006 and 0.005, respectively after distribution of LLINs. The malaria incidences also drop from 14.2 to zero after distribution. Interpretation & conclusion: A significant reduction in malaria incidences was validated and the possible reasons for the reduction are discussed.

To understand the effects of local landscape factors on functional species composition and phenology of butterflies across multiple spatial scales, a study was carried out in a tropical dry forest of the northern highlands of the Eastern Ghats of India from November 2016 to October 2017. A total of 3343 individuals of 88 species of butterflies were recorded, under 62 genera, 18 subfamilies, and six families in three different forest types (open, riparian, dense). Butterfly species richness showed no significant deviations, but diversity patterns varied across transects. Beta diversity indicated differences in common species populations, likely due to uneven resource distribution in study site forests. The contribution of β transect to gamma diversity was greater than that of β elevation, except for specialists. Specialists were favoured by landscape attributes over forest type. Butterfly abundance peaks in April for open and dense forests and May for riparian forests. Results show variation in seasonal patterns across different forest types (F = 15.92, P < 0.001). Generalists and versatilists are more prevalent in April and February, while specialists are more abundant from October to November. Relative humidity, shrub density, and temperature were the major contributors (40.2%) for richness, whereas relative humidity and shrub density contributed 26.3% for abundance. The relative humidity was predominant over temperature for species richness and is a major predictor for assemblages of generalist species. Elevation-dependent resource utilization is crucial for habitat specialists, underscoring the significance of spatial elevation zones in effective conservation planning strategies.

To understand the impact of soil properties and land use systems on earthworm diversity in the biodiversity-rich Eastern Ghats Highlands of India, the present study was carried out in six land use systems i.e., moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest, fallow land, cropland, compost pit, and, sewage soil. The study area has been divided into 10 × 10 km2 grids and 25% grids were randomly selected for sampling from April to December 2022. A total of 16 species of earthworms under 14 genera and 8 families were recorded, out of which 15 species are new records for the region. The most taxonomically rich family was the Megascolecidae. The most abundant species are endogeic followed by epigeic and anecic. Based on Hill numbers, the highest values of Shannon index (1D = 9.89) and Simpson diversity (2D = 9.14) were found for the fallow land. Earthworm abundance showed a significant difference among six land use systems [F (5,84) = 3.256, p < 0.05] and seasons [F (2,87) = 46.463, p < 0.01]. Furthermore, earthworms showed a significant positive relationship with moisture (r = 0.538, p < 0.01), organic carbon (r = 0.560, p < 0.01), available Nitrogen (r = 0.525, p < 0.01), and clay content (r = 0.535, p < 0.01), whereas negatively correlated with sand content (r = − 0.513, p < 0.01) of soil. Cropland showed high species richness, and fallow land exhibited increased diversity due to elevated moisture, moderate edaphic factors, and proximity to pristine forests. The presence of a high number of native species urges their conservation in this region through land management.

Background Cutaneous anthrax in humans is associated with exposure to infected animals or animal products and has a case fatality rate of up to 20% if untreated. During May to June 2015, an outbreak of cutaneous anthrax was reported in Koraput district of Odisha, India, an area endemic for anthrax. We investigated the outbreak to identify risk factors and recommend control measures. Method We defined a cutaneous anthrax case as skin lesions (e.g. , papule, vesicle or eschar) in a person residing in Koraput district with illness onset between February 1 and July 15, 2015. We established active surveillance through a house to house survey to ascertain additional cases and conducted a 1:2 unmatched case control study to identify modifiable risk factors. In case control study, we included cases with illness onset between May 1 and July 15, 2015. We defined controls as neighbours of case without skin lesions since last 3 months. Ulcer exudates and rolled over swabs from wounds were processed in Gram stain in the Koraput district headquarter hospital laboratory. Result We identified 81 cases (89% male; median age 38 years [range 5–75 years]) including 3 deaths (case fatality rate = 4%). Among 37 cases and 74 controls, illness was significantly associated with eating meat of ill cattle (OR: 14.5, 95% CI: 1.4–85.7) and with close handling of carcasses of ill animals such as burying, skinning, or chopping (OR: 342, 95% CI: 40.5–1901.8). Among 20 wound specimens collected, seven showed spore-forming, gram positive bacilli, with bamboo stick appearance suggestive of Bacillus anthracis . Conclusion Our investigation revealed significant associations between eating and handling of ill animals and presence of anthrax-like organisms in lesions. We immediately initiated livestock vaccination in the area, educated the community on safe handling practices and recommended continued regular anthrax animal vaccinations to prevent future outbreaks.

Agroforestry plays an important role in food security, sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. For understanding the role of agroforestry on biodiversity, a study was undertaken to access butterfly diversity in coffee, cashew and guava plantations in Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha during February–April 2016. A total of 1075 individuals of butterflies belonging to 60 species and 46 genera under five families were recorded during the study. Species richness (S) as well as Shannon diversity (H) were found to be higher in coffee (S = 45, H = 3.051) plantation, followed by cashew (S = 31, H = 2.807) and guava (S = 20, H = 2.519). However, though butterfly abundance was found to be maximum in coffee (43%), it was higher in guava (33%) followed by cashew (24%). Also, a significant difference was observed between butterfly abundance among three plantations. This shows coffee plantation was the best habitat for butterflies among the three agroforestry habitats studied. The reason for this was habitat heterogeneity in coffee plantation supporting maximum exclusive butterfly species and was least-human influenced with close canopy forest. Over all, family Nymphalidae was found to be the most abundant, and Lycaenidae was the least abundant. The findings of the present study are promising and may set new directions for management of agroforestry plantations in the region to support a rich biodiversity.

Background This study is a baseline survey to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices with regards to the anthrax disease among the communities before demonstrating a One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in an endemic district of Odisha. A total of 2670 respondents from 112 villages of 14 blocks were interviewed for the study using a structured questionnaire by multi-stage sampling method. Descriptive statistics were reported and logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between the variables and knowledge of anthrax. Result Out of 2670 participants in the study, 76.25% were male and about half were illiterate. Most of the respondents (54.19%) were involved in agriculture as an occupation. 71% of the respondents had livestock in their houses and farming was the main purpose for keeping the livestock. Only one-fifth of the respondents (20.26%) knew about anthrax and a majority of them have come across the disease during community outbreaks. Almost 25.9% of livestock owners had knowledge about vaccination against anthrax disease although 83.4% of the livestock owners disposed the animal carcass by burial method. Conclusion The study findings indicated that the community members had poor knowledge of cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax disease which may be improved by a One Health approach.