How does ddt control malaria

Arguably, the current DDT-protected human population could be the most nonoccupationally deliberately exposed community in the world. This population consists of millions of people experiencing nonintentional but inevitable exposure. As a consequence, the high DDT burdens experienced by these individuals sends a strong message that research on mixture effects and exposure reduction options are urgent.

With an increasing number of studies showing effects in vitro and in vivo , and with strong associations between DDT and human disease conditions shown in situ Eskenazi et al. Based on these considerations and concerns, we therefore suggest invoking precaution on DDT used in IRS for malaria control. In some situations, DDT will provide the greatest achievable health benefit, but arguing that DDT is safe is ignoring the cumulative indications of many studies.

The centrist-DDT position, including its recognition of this paradox, seems the only logical and rational conclusion. We have suggested possible ways to manage or address the paradox. A major priority of the centrist position is to use or develop effective alternatives to DDT. The centrist-DDT position remains, however, open to attack from both sides of the spectrum.

The debate is likely to continue, but this must not hinder improvement and innovation for a better, safer, and healthier future. Supplemental Material is available online doi The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Environ Health Perspect v. Environ Health Perspect. Published online Jan Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer.

Address correspondence to H. Bag X, Potchefstroom , South Africa. Telephone: Fax: E-mail: az. Received Mar 4; Accepted Jan Copyright notice. Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright.

All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged for example,? Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives? Articles from EHP, especially the News section, may contain photographs or illustrations copyrighted by other commercial organizations or individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from the holder of the copyright.

See " DDT Paradox " in volume on page a Respond " in volume on page a This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Objective We attempted to arrive at a synthesis by matching a series of questions on the use of DDT for indoor residual spraying IRS with literature and insights, and to identify options and opportunities. Discussion Overall, community health is significantly improved through all available malaria control measures, which include IRS with DDT.

Conclusions There are situations where DDT will provide the best achievable health benefit, but maintaining that DDT is safe ignores the cumulative indications of many studies.

Keywords: effects, health, indoor residual spraying, malaria vector management, precaution. The debate is polarized and could be characterized by three viewpoints that are at odds over fundamental and pragmatic issues: The anti-DDT viewpoint wants to eliminate any production and use of DDT because of environmental and health concerns. Objectives Our objective in this commentary was to match a series of questions on the use of DDT in IRS with the literature, experiences, and insights that may not be published in scientific articles or that may not always be recognized when considering the health implications.

How are inhabitants exposed? Other DDT-associated impacts from malaria areas? Can DDT use be improved? Can DDT be used differently? Opportunities Invoking precaution may be an opportunity to revisit the active ingredient composition.

Other considerations DDT is normally not the only bioavailable chemical in use in or near homesteads Bouwman and Kylin ; Bouwman et al. Conclusions With an increasing number of studies showing effects in vitro and in vivo , and with strong associations between DDT and human disease conditions shown in situ Eskenazi et al. Footnotes Supplemental Material is available online doi References Africa Fighting Malaria.

Africa Fighting Malaria. Intersex in feral indigenous freshwater Oreochromis mossambicus , from various parts of the Luvuvhu River, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. S Afr Med J. Epidemiology, public health, and the rhetoric of false positives. DDT and urogenital malformations in newborn boys in a malaria area. BJU Int. Serum levels of DDT and liver function of malaria control personnel. Bull World Health Organ. Malaria control insecticide residues in breast milk: the need to consider infant health risks.

Simultaneous presence of DDT and pyrethroid residues in human breast milk from a malaria endemic area in South Africa. Environ Pollut. Toward DDT-free malaria control.

DDT and breast cancer in young women: new data on the significance of age at exposure. Environ Health Pespect. In utero exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DDT and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene DDE and neurodevelopment among young Mexican American children.

The enhancement of the subacute repeat dose toxicity test OECD TG for the detection of endocrine active chemicals: comparison with tests of longer duration. Arch Toxicol. A new classification system for the actions of IRS chemicals traditionally used for malaria control. PloS ONE. Childhood growth and exposure to dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene and polychlorinated biphenyls. J Pediatr. Presidential address, sixty-fourth annual meeting, American Association of Economic Entomologists. J Econ Entomol.

Appearing in both the popular media e. Framing the issue in this manner is a dangerous oversimplification and an distraction from the critical dialog on how to effectively combat malaria around the world—particularly in African communities. As malaria professionals we are well aware of the dire health consequences of malaria, but also of DDT. The challenge before us is therefore to determine how much weight to give to vector control within the broader context of a malaria control program; within vector control, how much weight to allot to nets versus indoor residual spraying IRS ; and within IRS, how much weight to give to DDT or some other chemical.

These decisions are indeed complex and location specific. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Environ Health Perspect v. Environ Health Perspect. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Copyright notice. Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright.

All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged for example,? Finding measurable amounts of DDT and DDE in serum does not imply that the levels of these chemicals cause an adverse health effect.

These reference values can determine whether higher levels of DDT and DDE exposure in people are present than in the general population. Biomonitoring data also help scientists plan and conduct research on exposure and health effects.

Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. National Biomonitoring Program. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DDT Factsheet.