Mosquito/Malaria Control (42)
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Mosquito/Malaria Control (52)
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Africa fooled on Mosquito/Malaria Control?
Dear All,
The recent and 1999 choice of extensive insecticide spraying by
health officials in the US as a robust method for the control of
disease transmitting mosquitoes, creates suspicion that Africa
could be fooled on mosquito/malaria control approaches. The mes-
sage pasted below is self explanatory.
Air Force Reserve Sprays Mosquitos Over Louisiana
by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Gregoire
9/13/2005 - DUKE FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) -- The Air Force Reserve
continues to save lives in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath by con-
ducting the first of many aerial spray missions that began Sept.
12 over Louisiana in an attempt to reduce mosquito and filth fly
populations. The Department of Defense's only fixed-wing aerial
spray unit, the 910th Airlift Wing, and its C-130 Hercules were
requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to spray until the
threat of disease subsides. FEMA officials are assessing how
many acres need to be sprayed as a result of Katrina. "The
elimination of disease-carrying insects is a vital part of en-
suring public health and safety in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina," said Lt. Col. Steve Olson, a 910th AW medical ento-
mologist. "The targeted insects are capable of transmitting dis-
eases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile virus and
malaria. If not controlled, the probability people will contract
these diseases, either in single incidents or in widespread out-
breaks, increases greatly."
Planes spray insecticide
Two US Air Force C-130 planes, specially equipped to carry out
low-altitude spraying, treated parts of New Orleans late Monday
with an insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes, Air Force spokes-
man Master Sergeant Paul Fazzini told AFP.
"They started their first mission yesterday and the next flight
is probably going to be today," Fazzini said on Tuesday.
"The target zones are put together by the FEMA and the CDC," he
said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Dibrom, the insecticide being used, is very heavily diluted and
sprayed in an ultra-fine mist so that it adheres to the bodies
and hairs of mosquitoes, Fazzini said. The chemical is dangerous
for humans at high doses, but for these operations it is so
heavily diluted that it is safe, he said.
AFP
Why can't we have similar spraying operations in Africa?
Regards,
Hamisi Masanja Malebo
Research Scientist (Medicinal & Bio-Organic Chemistry)
National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR)
P.O. Box 9653, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Mobile: +255-744-383-143
Fax: +255-22-2121-360/380
mailto:Malebo@hotmail.com
mailto:hmalebo@nimr.or.tz