XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
  AIDS
  Influenza
  MRSA
  Tuberculosis
  Shigella
  HCV
  SARS
  Ebola
  Dengue
  Malaria
   Plasmodium
  Pertussis
  Mumps
  Prion Diseases
  Small Pox
  Anthrax
  Leishmaniasis
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
Search

Last Updated: Aug 19th, 2006 - 22:18:38

Malaria Channel
subscribe to Malaria newsletter

Latest Research : Infectious Diseases : Malaria

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Global warming trend may contribute to malaria's rise
Mar 22, 2006, 06:22, Reviewed by: Dr. Priya Saxena

"We showed that a small increase in temperature can lead to a much larger increase in the abundance of mosquitoes"

 
Could global warming be contributing to the resurgence of malaria in the East African Highlands?

A widely-cited study published a few years ago said no, but new research by an international team that includes University of Michigan theoretical ecologist Mercedes Pascual finds that, while other factors such as drug and pesticide resistance, changing land use patterns and human migration also may play roles, climate change cannot be ruled out.

"Our results do not mean that temperature is the only or the main factor driving the increase in malaria, but that it is one of many factors that should be considered," Pascual said. The new study is slated to be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

After being nearly or completely eradicated in many parts of the world, malaria still affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and has been on the rise in some highland regions and desert fringes. Because the life cycle of the mosquito that transmits malaria and the microorganism that causes the disease are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature, some scientists have speculated that rising average temperatures may be making conditions more favorable for mosquitoes and pathogen development, leading in turn to the surge in malaria cases.

But a 2002 study found no significant changes in average temperature in the highlands of East Africa, where malaria has become a serious public health problem, prompting its authors to dismiss the malaria-climate link. Not all scientists were convinced, however, and the topic has been hotly debated over the past four years.

Pascual revisited the question, using updated temperature data and improved analysis techniques. The result?

"I did find evidence for an increase in temperature, which the authors of the previous paper said was not there," Pascual said. The increase was small---half a degree over the period from 1950 to 2002---but using a mathematical model, Pascual and coworkers showed that even such slight warming could have biological consequences.

"We showed that a small increase in temperature can lead to a much larger increase in the abundance of mosquitoes," she said. "And because mosquito abundance is generally quite low in these highland regions, any increase in abundance can be an important factor in transmission of the disease."

In the current study, the researchers looked only at the link between temperature and mosquito abundance, not at malaria statistics. In future work, Pascual plans to incorporate malaria data and to explore the interaction of various factors that may affect the spread of malaria.

"I think it's reasonable to assume that these factors are not independent," Pascual said. "It's important to understand how they interact and also to see if we can determine their relative importance. This is a very polarized field, in terms of supporting or not supporting the role of climate versus other factors. We don't want to contribute to the polarization, which I think is very unproductive in terms of the science. I hope we can move from this sort of debate into a more constructive one about interactions and relative roles of all the factors that may be contributing to the resurgence of malaria."
 

- The new study is slated to be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
 

www.umich.edu

 
Subscribe to Malaria Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related Malaria News

Retina can provide a very reliable way of diagnosing cerebral malaria
New findings could lead to vaccine for severe malaria
AgDscam gene Holds the Key to Broad-Based Pathogen Recognition
Genes responsible for malaria parasite's survival pin pointed
Mosquito immune system examined
The Haptoglobin Genotype Connection with Childhood Anemia in a Malaria-Endemic Region
Mosquitoes that could help combat malaria!
Malaria parasite plasmodium impairs key immune system cells
Modeling the Impact of Intermittent Preventative Treatment on the Spread of Drug-Resistant Malaria
Global warming trend may contribute to malaria's rise


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us