Karnataka state with the vast semi-urban areas,rich irrigated lands and good monsoon, facilitates prolific growth of mosquitoes and transmission of malaria. In 2001, Karnataka accounted for 9.47% of total malaria cases of India. However, the data from the present study revealed that, there was a significant decline in the incidenceby 89.3% for the last ten years(2001 to 2011). In 2011, the annual parasite incidence (API) was 0.4 and mortality less than 5%. Anopheles culicifacies (species A) has beenthe major malaria vector in rural and semi-urban areas and An. stephensi being the major malaria vector in urban areas. Here the age group prone to malaria is between 21 to 30 years and there has been growing trend towards urban malaria as people from rural areas migrate to the city. The decrease in the incidence is due to implementation of various control measures, contributed by the application of biological methods as well, such as larvivorous fish,Poecilia and Gambusia. The epidemiological situation in Karnataka is much better than many other states of India.But there is need of awareness among the peopleto reduce the number of cases further and bring the state toa malaria free zone in the country.
