Characterised, identified, isolated and developed by the Nadiad-based centre following a decade of research and studies, the fungus was sent to the national headquarters at New Delhi for approval more than a year ago. The same was extensively field-tested and has now been approved and acclaimed as a ``very competent and effective'' method to kill malaria larvae.

Confirming the headway, the Nadiad centre's chief bio-medical scientist Rajpal Singh Yadav says similar research was on at various institutes all over the world; his unit, though, has taken the lead. The fungus is awaiting patenting, he adds; that process is expected to be completed in a couple of months.

There is more to come; research work on isolation of another fungal strain is still going at the Nadiad centre, says Yadav. ``This also shows good promise for further evaluation'', he adds. Speaking to Express Newsline, MRC New Delhi's assistant director Dr Tridibesh Adak said the credit for the breakthrough belonged to the Nadiad unit. The MRC, he said, had field-tested the fungus and found it ``very effective''.

Adak said a Memorandum of Understanding to mass-produce the fungus might be finalised at the Scientific Adivsory Committee meeting in December. ``When patented it will be useful not only for the country but for the whole world'', he held.

After being let loose in marshy area or water bodies, the fungus (whose technical identity has been withheld to protect its identity) eats up the mosquito larvae, thus growing more and eating more and at the same time cutting into the cycle of mosquito breeding. It works better outdoors, simply because the malarial mosquitos breed outside.

According to Yadav, the use of this fungus is primarily as a complementary tool in mosquito control programmes in urban and industrial areas. It's primary usage, however, is likely to be domestic. Experts say the pricing, when worked out, will depend on the exact chemical fermentation (as is the case of bacteria) and its final shape before delivering into the water. However, given the completely indigenous development and the plan for mass-production, it was likely to be economical.

Other thrust areas of the Centre include studies on transmission, forest and irrigation malaria, project malaria and educating and training health and engineering staff.