| View Larger Image | National Geographic Magazine July 2007 Malariaby National Geographic
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National Geographic Magazine
July 2007
Malaria
Iceman
Swarms
Birds of Paradise
Tongass National Forest |
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Interesting and Educational! by Loyd E. Eskildson (Phoenix, AZ.)  4 Stars
January 11, 2009
"Malaria" is the lead article, telling about the nearly half a billion contracting the disease each year, with more than a million deaths - most under age 5 and living in Africa. Zambia is particularly afflicted.
One of the best defenses is a mosquito net treated with insecticide and draped over beds - cuts infections in half.
Malaria is now endemic to 106 nations, and the disease has developed resistance to many drugs. Quinine, originally from South America, disrupts the parasites' reproduction and has saved countless lives, but is short-acting and may cause hearing loss with prolonged use. A synthetic variation was invented in 1940 - long-lasting and safe. DDT was another important advance - inventor won the Nobel prize in medicine.
An earlier eradication effort produced dramatic reductions in some areas, but progress largely ended with a loss of funding, a ban on DDT (cotton farmers' overuse being the major problem), and never really got going in Africa.
DDT is now used again for spraying home interiors.
A vaccine is the best hope for controlling malaria - one is now being tried.
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