Controlling Malaria

Question 1

Eradicate Mosquitoes

Answer 1

• Use of pesticides
• Pesticides such as DDT were used in many Malaria countries in 1960s/1970s
  Effectiveness:
• Environmentally harmful
• Impact on food-chains widely publicized and DDT subsequently banned
• Mosquitos can quickly develop a resistance to insecticides
• Newer insecticides eg Malatbian are oil based and much more expensive and difficult for developing countries to afford

Question 2

Mustard seed bombing

Answer 2

• When applied to breeding grounds become sticky and drag larvae underwater drowning them
• Similarly, egg whites sprayed on larvae clogs larvae breathing tubes
  Effectiveness: Bearing in mind many of the worlds poorest countries suffer from Malaria, these strategies are lastly, costly and fairly

Question 3

BTI Bacteria

Answer 3

• Produces a toxin lethal to mosquito larvae. It has been shown to be safe for both people and the environment.
  Effectiveness:
• 2/3 coconuts will control a tropical pond for up to 45 days.
• Cheap as coconuts are widely available in many affected countries.
• Environmentally friendly as only lethal to mosquito and black fly larvae

Question 4

Larvae eating fish

Answer 4

• Fish like guppies or muddy loach can be introduced to eat the larvae
  Effectiveness:
• Cheaper than using insecticides
• Fish can also be eaten to provide extra protein in peoples diets.
• Damage to local ecosystems can be caused eg the mosquitofish predates has on other aquatic life.

Question 5

Drainage of swamps

Answer 5

• Removes large areas of stagnant water.
  Effectiveness:
• Labor intensive and costly
• Not practical in the tropics (high rainfall)
• Mosquitos only need a very small amount of water to lay eggs

Question 6

Genetic Modification to produce sterile males causes the species to die out

Answer 6

• Other GM mosquitos are unstable to carry the parasite, these are dominant mosquitos and would outcompete the others
  Effectiveness:
• This would be incredibly technical and labor intensive to perform over large geographical areas
• Slime mould genes have resulted in 95% male offspring

Question 7

Education

Answer 7

• The use of insect repellents eg DEET
• Covering the skin at dusk when the mosquitos are most active
• Sleeping under an insecticide treated mosquito net
• Mesh coverings over windows/door openings
• Songs and plays have been effective n rural communities where literacy rates are low
• Has encouraged the removal of traditional responses and allows individuals to take action to prevent malaria
• Education cannot halt malaria but it is an important tool in a holistic approach

Question 8

Treat those with malaria

Answer 8

• Drugs like chloroquin, lariun and malarone
• Plasmodium developing a resistance to most drugs
• Some side effects associated with anti-malarial drugs
• Newer drugs can be expensive to buy from the pharmaceutical companies

Question 9

International Campaigns

Answer 9

• WHO “Roll Back Malaria”
• Launched in 1988 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank, in and effort to provide a coordinated global response to the disease

Question 10

Vaccinate

Answer 10

• Trials have produced a vaccine (RTS,S/Mosquirix) which has now been recommended as being safe for use, as prevention is better than cure
  Effectiveness:
• Scientists have trialed a vaccine on children across Africa and the early result from this area.
• Encouraging (a 56% drop in after a year with children who had the vaccine, compared with those who did not)