Malaria may be a bigger killer than Aids, hidden figures reveal
The deadliest form of malaria is up to twice as widespread as is generally thought and causes more than half a billion infections every year, the most comprehensive analysis yet of its extent has revealed.
A map drawn up by British scientists shows 515 million infections with the most dangerous strain in 2002, compared with World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates of 270 million to 400 million.
The findings indicate that the impact of malaria has been greatly underestimated, and that it may outstrip HIV-Aids as the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
Previous figures put annual deaths from malaria at between a million and 2.7 million. While the new research did not reassess this, greater prevalence of its most serious form suggests that the toll could easily exceed the three million people killed annually by Aids.
The study found that 2.2 billion people, more than a third of the world’s population, are at risk of contracting malaria. The greatest impact is on children. While most of these live in Africa, South-East Asia and the western Pacific Rim are much more badly affected than had been suspected.
And the one thing that could stop this in its tracks isn’t so much as mentioned in this article. DDT, anyone?
And Ruckelshouse still walks free. The bastard!
Comment by Walter E. Wallis — 10 Mar, 2005 @ 18:45
And Rachel Carson is beyond our reach…
Comment by Kathy K — 10 Mar, 2005 @ 20:15
Aids is also a scourge of self indulgence extending into industrialized and developed countries. Many big names build their own agenda around that. Malaria kills mostly the nameless in tropical third world countries, so it’s not so useful as an attachment for the self-agended like the UN or celebrities.
Comment by wits0 — 11 Mar, 2005 @ 13:19