How Malaria Was Eradicated In The U.S.

Anopheles mosquitoes carry malarial parasites breeding in still water such as marshy ponds and swamps which exist in great numbers in eastern and southern United States.

Sporozoites enter human bloodstream riding toward liver where single infected liver cell can lead to creation of thousands of new parasites through multiple rounds of division.

Parasites from liver migrate to infect red blood cells where they hide from body’s immune system consuming cell contents and dividing to create even more parasites.

Malaria infestation in United States was not brought about until 17th century with first arrival of slave ships from Africa where parasite originated.

Incoming immigrants labeled certain colonies as healthy and others as dangerous with Caribbean understood to be most dangerous, Florida and Carolinas close second, Chesapeake bit better, only northern colonies where European settlers thrived.

By First World War malaria was huge problem especially for military where men training in South were picking up disease in rapid numbers.

By 1930s malaria had become concentrated in 13 of country’s southeastern states with well over one million cases during Great Depression making it major national problem.

1916 scientists carried out study on 500,000 people in Bolivar County Mississippi testing whether quinine from cinchona bark could effectively treat malaria finding 90 percent infection reduction.

1930s saw wave of public works projects intended to boost economy including malaria control through Works Progress Administration putting people to work digging 32,000 miles of ditches and draining 623,000 watered acres.

1944 one of most effective mosquito killers of all time was invented DDT which thanks in part to its use by 1945 caused malaria transmission in US to drop significantly making disease’s days numbered.

1946 CDC was born with primary mission of finally getting rid of malaria in America once and for all representing federal commitment to systematic disease elimination.

By 1951 malaria was considered eliminated altogether from country following onslaught of DDT, drainage works, habitat oiling, and preventive medication that had finally worked.

Dozens of other factors beyond DDT and drainage contributed to malaria’s death in America with historians fiercely debating which factor was actually key to eradication creating scientific uncertainty.

In Africa where most of world’s malaria cases occur today, US drainage methods are not feasible because mosquitoes breed in small pools of water formed from rainfall spread across landscape.

Organizations like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working towards malaria eradication putting resources largely towards better data collection along with research and development for creating new medicines and vaccines.