2023-11-03 23:41:45
Title: Malaria Outbreak in Ethiopian City Traced Back to Invasive Mosquito Species
Date: [current date]
At the beginning of 2022, an alarming number of students in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia fell ill with malaria, a disease that typically affects rural areas. What made this outbreak particularly unusual was the timing – it occurred during the dry season, whereas malaria is generally associated with the rainy season. New research has now shed light on the cause of this mysterious outbreak – the presence of an invasive mosquito species in the city.
The mosquito responsible for the outbreak is called Anophales stephensi and originates from India. It first appeared in the East African country of Djibouti in 2012 and has since spread to other regions, including Dire Dawa. Unlike its African counterparts, this ‘new’ mosquito has the ability to transmit local parasites when it bites infected individuals.
A team of Ethiopian researchers, in collaboration with international colleagues from the Netherlands and elsewhere, conducted a study in Dire Dawa to investigate the spread of malaria and the presence of mosquitoes carrying the disease. The results of their study were published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Experts are extremely concerned about the implications of this invasive mosquito species. As urbanization continues to rise in Africa, the mosquito, which thrives in drier climates, poses a significant threat to over 100 million city dwellers who are suddenly at risk of malaria. What exacerbates the situation is that this mosquito has developed a high resistance to pesticides, further complicating efforts to control the spread of the disease.
The fight against malaria has already faced setbacks in recent years. Although the number of annual malaria-related deaths had initially decreased from over a million to 500,000, the number has now risen to over 600,000. Tragically, the majority of these victims are children under the age of five.
There are multiple factors contributing to the resurgence of malaria. Parasites have become increasingly resistant to antimalarials, and their ability to evade commonly used rapid tests has also been observed. In the absence of a specific protein, these tests, which are similar to COVID-19 tests, can no longer detect the presence of parasites. This necessitates time-consuming microscopic examination as the only reliable diagnostic method.
Teun Bousema, a malaria researcher at RadboudUMC who participated in the study, emphasizes the enormous economic damage caused by malaria. He estimates that the disease costs the continent around $40 billion annually.
Although eradication of this invasive mosquito species may no longer be possible, Bousema underscores the importance of keeping its population under control. In a positive development, the World Health Organization recently recommended the use of a second vaccine against malaria. Although the vaccines are by no means perfect, they have demonstrated positive results in reducing infant mortality rates in areas where they have been implemented.
In Dire Dawa, interventions such as larvicide treatment helped curb the outbreak, but experts anticipate that the disease will persist. Bousema emphasizes the need to be prepared for future outbreaks by implementing effective preventive measures.
Malaria presents a multifaceted challenge, but the introduction of additional vaccines and ongoing research offer hope in the fight against this deadly disease.]
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