Urban Pollution, Open Sewage and Proliferation of Culex Mosquitoes in Megacities like Delhi: Implications for Vector-Borne Diseases, Diagnostics and Public Health Policy – A Critical Review

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Rapid urbanization and inadequate sanitation have reshaped mosquito ecology in many megacities. In South Asian urban centers such as Delhi, open sewage and polluted stagnant water bodies are pervasive and constitute key larval habitats for Culex mosquitoes, especially Culex quinquefasciatus. These vectors are responsible for lymphatic filariasis transmission and contribute to circulation of flaviviruses including West Nile and, in certain contexts, Japanese encephalitis. Main body: This critical review synthesizes high-quality evidence from PubMed, Google Scholar, WHO technical documents, and Indian national guidelines to: (1) map the environmental drivers (sewage, organic pollution, urban heat island effects) that favor Culex proliferation; (2) summarize disease risks (LF, WNV, JE) linked to urban Culex ecology; (3) review modern diagnostics (antigen detection, IgM MAC-ELISA, molecular assays) and their operational performance; and (4) propose an integrated evidence-based framework for surveillance and control tailored to Delhi-like megacities. Key load-bearing studies show combined sewage overflow enhances Culex oviposition and sewage remediation reduces Culex abundance. [1] At the time when I was writing this review article i search some areas near north eastern area of Delhi where street is filled with sewage water, as per my view I found that this is basically happened because of uneducated people who don’t know how to spill the garbage. But that garbage causes several diseases to the community who lives there. I also put some solution in this article which my applicable for the cleanliness. Conclusion: Effective control of Culex-associated disease risk in megacities requires coordinated sewage and drainage infrastructure improvements, targeted vector surveillance, laboratory strengthening (antigen and molecular diagnostics), and community-led sanitation. This review provides actionable recommendations for public health authorities and researchers in India and similar urban settings.