¿Debe regresar el uso del DDT para el control de vectores de la malaria?

Abstract

Indoor residual spraying with DDT was the principle method by which malaria transmission was eradicated or greatly reduced in many countries between the late 1940s and 1970s. Since then, decreasing use of DDT has been associated with a resurgence of malaria in India, Sri Lanka, former Soviet Central Asia, Zanzibar, Venezuela and several other Latin American countries. In India and Zanzibar, DDT resistance in vectors, as well as a decline in spray coverage, are probable causes of reduced effectiveness of DDT in recent decades. In southern Europe, eradication of malaria transmission was achieved by DDT spraying in the 1940s and 50s and eradication has been sustained by adequate treatment of imported human malaria cases. In the highlands of Madagascar and South Africa, recent reversion to DDT spraying has been successful in stemming resurgences of malaria. Continued use of DDT for vector control, but not for agriculture, is approved by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. DDE residues in breast milk have been associated with DDT anti-malaria spraying in South Africa, but it is not known whether this is harmful. A claimed association of DDE residues with breast cancer have not been substantiated. There is a recent report of association of DDE residues with probability of premature birth; the possible relevance of this to anti-malarial use of DDT should be investigated. In Colombia, testing of the DDT stockpile for suspensibility, DDT resistance in Anopheles darlingi and investigation of the present affordability of widespread spraying with DDT, compared with alternative chemicals, are recommended.Key words: indoor residual spraying, malaria eradication, malaria resurgence, DDT resistance, DDE in breast milk, DDE and breast cancer, DDE and premature birth, suspensibility of stockpiled DDT.¿Debe regresar el uso del DDT para el control de vectores de la malaria?La aspersión de DDT en las viviendas fue el principal método de erradicación de la transmisión de la malaria, o de una importante reducción, en muchos países durante las décadas del 40 al 70. Desde entonces, el uso cada vez menor del DDT se ha asociado con la reemergencia de la malaria en India, Sri Lanka, la región de Asia central de la antigua Unión Soviética, Zanzibar, Venezuela y varios países latinoamericanos. En India y Zanzíbar, la resistencia de los vectores al DDT, así como un descenso en las aspersiones, son las causas probables de la efectividad reducida del DDT en las últimas décadas. En el sur de Europa, la erradicación de la transmisión de la malaria se logró con el uso del DDT durante la década del 40 y el 50 y se ha mantenido con el manejo adecuado de los casos importados de malaria. En las tierras altas de Madagascar y Suráfrica, la reciente reutilización del DDT ha tenido éxito en detener el resurgimiento de la malaria. El uso continuo del DDT en el control de vectores, no en la agricultura, está aprobado por la Convención de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes. Los residuos de DDE en la leche materna se h...

Evaluation of Environmental Quality of Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons Using Persistent Organic Pollutants and Metals in Thick-Lipped Grey Mullet

“…The Agro Pontino plain, where both are located, has become a reclaimed area since the 20s, where a progressively intensified agriculture and livestock has been occurring. Furthermore, the history of this territory should be taken into account, where an extensive program for malaria eradication was performed since the end of the Second World War, in the period 1944-1965, making use of DDT spread with airplanes [72,73]. Therefore, the presence of DDTs in fish in this area [39,74] testifies to the still on-going contamination, as a consequence of past massive use and diffused pollution from intensive agriculture [53].…”