Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
Or call 0345 90 80 161
04 September 2013 09:26
Over 600,000 people died from the malaria in 2010, most African children
With mosquitoes becoming ever more resistant to insecticides, scientists claim there is a growing need for different approaches to help control malaria.
The disease is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions in a broad band around the equator, particularly in Africa and Asia.
Symptoms typically include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or death, and researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine want to see more done to prevent malaria from spreading.
They believe targeting mosquito breeding sites is likely to be increasingly necessary to reduce cases of malaria in Africa and Asia.
Although the number of deaths from malaria has fallen by a quarter in the last decade, more than 600,000 people died from the disease in 2010.
The widespread distribution of mosquito nets treated with insecticides and the use of indoor insecticide sprays has helped curb malaria to a certain extent, but the scientists warn the insects are becoming increasingly resistant to these chemicals.
They propose authorities should also use a method called "larval source management" to help keep the disease under control.
This is where mosquito larvae found in stagnant water like paddy fields or ditches are killed off by draining or flushing the land before they get a chance to develop. It also involves something called larviciding, where chemicals are added to standing water.
The method was found to significantly reduce both the number of cases of malaria by up to 75% and the proportion of people infected with the malaria parasite by up to 90% when used in appropriate settings.
But despite the findings, the World Health Organization claims the research is not robust enough to support larval source management, and it is not recommended for use in rural areas where breeding grounds are hard to find.
Travellers heading to continents such as Africa and Asia should therefore continue to use the various insecticides on offer in shops. They should also protect themselves with medical travel insurance for added peace of mind.
19 March 2019
Looking for adventure? Create your perfect Scandinavian weekend with these alternative city break ideas.
[more...]
Lower your blood pressure with these fresh, healthy foods you can add to your diet.
02 March 2019
A Flybe flight was forced to abort take-off due to the cabin filling with "smoke" while it was accelerating along the runway at Exeter Airport.
01 March 2019
Holidaymakers will soon be able to take advantage of the first direct flight from London to Scotland's Western Isles after Loganair announced three new routes.
28 February 2019
Over one in five women in the UK wrongly think a smear test can detect ovarian cancer, new research has revealed.
27 February 2019
One in 10 UK adults over the age of 40 is living with Type 2 diabetes, new analysis suggests - but the real figure could be much higher.
26 February 2019
British Airways has revealed the second of its series of retro liveries being recreated as part of the airline's 100th birthday celebrations.
23 February 2019
The price of a prescription in England is set to rise again, the Government has announced, in a move some campaigners have called disappointing.
22 February 2019
Just half an hour of exercise every morning could be as effective as drugs at lowering daily blood pressure, research suggests.
21 February 2019
A British man accidentally used the wrong passport to fly from Prague to the UK, leaving his friend stranded in the Czech capital.
19 February 2019
Hundreds of passengers have had their travel plans cancelled following the collapse of airline flybmi.
16 February 2019
Holidaymakers were left fuming after a "lack of clarity" over Brexit led a Romanian airline to cancel flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.