3 ms·

This. That malaria is not prevalent in the Southern U.S. (there's a reason the CDC is in Atlanta) is as much an economic choice as an epidemiological success st

by Fomite 2y ago

This. That malaria is not prevalent in the Southern U.S. (there's a reason the CDC is in Atlanta) is as much an economic choice as an epidemiological success story.

te_chris 2y ago
I heard an urban legend that the original eradication was basically carpet bombing the south with DDT back before we knew better.
- dragonwriter 2y ago
  "Carpet bombing" is perhaps a hyperbolic term, but widespread application of DDT in the southeastern US was, in fact, a central component of the effort. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/100616/cdc_100616_DS1.pdf https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/100616/cdc_100616_DS1.pdf
- anitil 2y ago
  I believe now they use sterile mosquito larva to achieve the same now [0], though it's from a youtube video so I'm not sure how much to trust it. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olj8arvfYj4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olj8arvfYj4
  - foxyv 2y ago
    It's such a neat method because it is so inexpensive too. You take a bunch of mosquitos, irradiate them with just the right dose at the right time and then release them en-masse. https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/irradiated-mosquitoes.html#:~:text=Male%20mosquitoes%20are%20bred%20and,dengue%2C%20Zika%2C%20and%20chikungunya https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/irradiated-m....
- CJefferson 2y ago
  It's very possible getting rid of malaria made this was a worthwhile, even given our modern knowledge, given the treatment options available at the time. Large-scale medical treatments are always a difficult area, because almost no treatment, or course of action, is risk-free, but malaria was awful when it was more widespread.
- Fomite 2y ago
  Not really an urban legend.
- tomjen3 2y ago
  Its not really that we know better. We known more and we know there is more of a trade of than was assumed then. But to know better would mean we would have done anything different back then. If the choice is a silent spring (hyperpole, but okay) or dead babies from malaria in the US, no politician is going to align with the "I support dead babies party" and nobody is going to listen to those who do.
- dennis_jeeves2 2y ago
  Until they banned DDT ostensibly because it was a threat to 'wild life'. I'm sure it affected people very adversely (it's rumored that DDT was one of the major causes of polio). Right now there will be chemicals which are widely used which fall in the same league.

by Fomite 2y ago

This. That malaria is not prevalent in the Southern U.S. (there's a reason the CDC is in Atlanta) is as much an economic choice as an epidemiological success story.

te_chris 2y ago

I heard an urban legend that the original eradication was basically carpet bombing the south with DDT back before we knew better.

dragonwriter 2y ago
"Carpet bombing" is perhaps a hyperbolic term, but widespread application of DDT in the southeastern US was, in fact, a central component of the effort. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/100616/cdc_100616_DS1.pdf https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/100616/cdc_100616_DS1.pdf
anitil 2y ago
I believe now they use sterile mosquito larva to achieve the same now [0], though it's from a youtube video so I'm not sure how much to trust it. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olj8arvfYj4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olj8arvfYj4
- foxyv 2y ago
  It's such a neat method because it is so inexpensive too. You take a bunch of mosquitos, irradiate them with just the right dose at the right time and then release them en-masse. https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/irradiated-mosquitoes.html#:~:text=Male%20mosquitoes%20are%20bred%20and,dengue%2C%20Zika%2C%20and%20chikungunya https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/irradiated-m....
CJefferson 2y ago
It's very possible getting rid of malaria made this was a worthwhile, even given our modern knowledge, given the treatment options available at the time. Large-scale medical treatments are always a difficult area, because almost no treatment, or course of action, is risk-free, but malaria was awful when it was more widespread.
Fomite 2y ago
Not really an urban legend.
tomjen3 2y ago
Its not really that we know better. We known more and we know there is more of a trade of than was assumed then. But to know better would mean we would have done anything different back then. If the choice is a silent spring (hyperpole, but okay) or dead babies from malaria in the US, no politician is going to align with the "I support dead babies party" and nobody is going to listen to those who do.
dennis_jeeves2 2y ago
Until they banned DDT ostensibly because it was a threat to 'wild life'. I'm sure it affected people very adversely (it's rumored that DDT was one of the major causes of polio). Right now there will be chemicals which are widely used which fall in the same league.