Malaria, a potentially life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is making a concerning resurgence in the United States.
Health officials are alarmed by five new cases of locally acquired malaria, with one reported in Texas and four in Florida.
This development is worrisome because it signifies that mosquitos within the US are carrying the malaria-causing parasite. Locally acquired cases of malaria have not been observed since 2003 in Palm Beach County, Florida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Typically, malaria cases in the US are attributed to individuals who have traveled abroad and were exposed to disease-carrying mosquitoes outside the country.
However, the five recent cases involve individuals who have not traveled internationally, raising concerns that local mosquitoes could be spreading the disease to others.
“It’s always worrisome that you have local transmission in an area,” Estelle Martin, an entomologist at the University of Florida said in a statement.
Florida Department of Health issues statewide advisory on mosquito-borne illnesses after four people contract malaria.
Another “locally acquired” case has also been reported in Texas. https://t.co/7k58bIwVkF— ABC News (@ABC) June 27, 2023
Malaria is transmitted when a mosquito carrying the parasite bites an infected person, allowing the parasite to develop within the mosquito. When the same mosquito bites another person, or several individuals, it infects them with the parasite. Individuals infected with the malaria parasite may not display symptoms, making it easier for the disease to spread unknowingly when an asymptomatic person is bitten.
Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. If left untreated, the infection can lead to severe complications such as jaundice, anemia, kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and even death. Fortunately, malaria can be effectively treated when diagnosed early, and a vaccine is now available.
These recent cases highlight the connection between a warming climate and the increased risks of vector-borne diseases, including those transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks. Climate change plays a role in the proliferation of such diseases throughout the US, according to experts.
In response to the four Florida cases, malaria-infected mosquitoes were discovered in a wetlands area of Sarasota County.
Local authorities promptly took action by applying insecticides that effectively kill both adult and juvenile forms of the mosquitoes.
“We have been able to make sure the mosquito population in that area is extremely low,” Wade Brennan, a Sarasota County mosquito manager said.
The Texas case occurred in Cameron County, situated along the Texas-Mexico border.
It is also plausible that these recent cases were caused by individuals who traveled to other countries carrying the disease and subsequently became bitten by mosquitoes upon their return to the US, infecting local individuals in the process.
“We know in general that climate can be one of many factors that can impact vector-borne diseases,” a CDC spokesperson stated.
“Today, global travel and trade allow vector-borne diseases to be moved around the world and transmitted by local mosquitoes or ticks,” the spokesperson added, “especially in places where those diseases may have once been common.”
