Malaria In The US
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - There are approximately 300 million cases of malaria each year worldwide and over a million people die every year as a result. You might be surprised that there are about 1200 cases every year here in the US.
One of the reasons why we are starting to see cases here in the United States is because of global climate change. We are expected to have a temperature increase of 0.4 degrees Celsius in the next eight years. This might not seem like a lot but it can lead to a thirty percent increase in mosquitos worldwide.
Mosquitos spread malaria but there is another problem as well. Malaria is becoming resistant to treatment.
Far and away the greatest risk for malaria comes from travel to sub Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Travelers should use mosquito repellant, bed netting and take prophylactic medications prior to travel.
