DDT Indoor Spraying Recommended By WHO To Combat Malaria

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Main Category: Tropical Diseases
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Blood / Hematology;  Public Health
Article Date: 19 Sep 2006 - 8:00 PDT

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The World Health Organization (WHO) is now recommending the indoor spraying with DDT in areas where malaria transmission is constant and high - not just in epidemic areas. This is almost three decades after DDT was phased out.

Dr Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, WHO Assistant Director-General for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, said "The scientific and programmatic evidence clearly supports this reassessment. Indoor residual spraying is useful to quickly reduce the number of infections caused by malaria-carrying mosquitoes. IRS has proven to be just as cost effective as other malaria prevention measures, and DDT presents no health risk when used properly."

According to WHO, extensive research and testing has shown that DDT, if well-managed, is safe and effective for indoor spraying as a tool to combat malaria transmission. The tests, says WHO, show that indoor spraying is safe for both humans and animals.

Indoor spraying means applying DDT to walls and the roofs of houses and domestic animal shelters. It destroys the malaria-carrying mosquitoes that land on the surfaces of walls and roofs. This preventive measure can reduce malaria transmission by up to 90%.

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, said "Indoor spraying is like providing a huge mosquito net over an entire household for around-the-clock protection. Finally, with WHO's unambiguous leadership on the issue, we can put to rest the junk science and myths that have provided aid and comfort to the real enemy - mosquitoes - which threaten the lives of more than 300 million children each year."

Malaria kills over one million people each year - 86% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. 500 million people suffer from acute malaria. 3,000 children and infants are thought to die from Malaria each day - many who survive experience learning difficulties and brain damage.

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. The mosquito needs blood to nurture her eggs.

The word MAL (bad) ARIA (air) appeared because people used to think the disease came from fetid marshes. It wasn't until 1880 that scientists realised it was caused by a one-cell parasite called plasmodium.

There are four types of human malaria:

-- Plasmodium vivax (common)
-- Plasmodium malariae (common)
-- Plasmodium ovale (common)
-- Plasmodium falciparum (most deadly, it is most common in Africa)

When the Anopheles mosquito takes blood from a human the parasite enters that human. The parasite then undergoes several changes while in the infected human - these changes allow it to evade the human immune system. It infects the liver and red blood cells. The parasite eventually develops into a form that can infect a mosquito when it bites that human. In that newly infected mosquito it develops into a form, after 14 days, when it can infect another human - and so the cycle continues.

Malaria Symptoms

-- Appears after 9-14 days after a mosquito bite
-- Fever
-- Headache
-- Vomiting
-- Flu-like symptoms

If untreated it can become deadly, causing severe anaemia and blocking blood flow to the brain

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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