The Possibility of Disaster: Malaria

by Anonymous 4

In a country where people pay attention to movie stars and sports heroes, than poverty and starvation, it comes as no surprise to me that many Americans  are skeptical about the potential disasters that lay ahead from global warming. In recent years, our country’s   emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide (CO2) has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. Inevitably this surge in greenhouse gases is aiding into the theory of global warming. There is evidence of increased temperatures around the world which has already started to affect global climates. Large ice sheets and glaciers around the world have already begun melting, El Nino and El Nina weather patterns have intensified, and the average global temperature has risen. These effects in the Earth weather system will result in unprecedented disasters, but there are also many other impacts that can occur. With the increase level of CO2 in the atmosphere, and warmer temperatures, global health epidemics will have the potential to resurge in some parts of the world, and all nations will be forced to deal with its effects.

            The most recent research estimates that global greenhouse gas levels have reached 380 parts per million. (Begley 1 ).This level is the highest level recorded on our planet. What is more astonishing is that some cities such as New York  and Baltimore have levels of 700 or more, and this is indicative of  what scientists expect in other parts of the world. (Begely 1) With an increase level of CO2 in the atmosphere, mosquitoes that carry diseases and plants that emit allergic pollutants will thrive. A six year study by Duke University provided evidence that  a warmer climate allows plants to emit allergic pollution faster but it also changes the physiology

of the pollutant. (Begely 1) This will result in stronger, more deadly results. An example used in the study is that poison ivy could become deadly in the future, where today, contact with the plant simply results in skin irritants. While plants could become a very imminent threat as a result of future global warming, the spread of epidemics by mosquitoes will become disastrous, for not only the area affected, but the entire world.

            Today, there is evidence that the West Nile virus has become more prevalent, and is starting to be diagnosed earlier and earlier every year(Alsop 1 ). As our environment is  contaminated more and more by greenhouse gases, the spread of tropical diseases will begin to expand  at an alarming rate. The reason for this is that as a result of the greenhouse gases, climates will be altered, which can result in more variation in heavy rain falls and droughts, a climate where disease carrying insects thrive and mature at a faster rate. At 68degrees Fahrenheit the malaria parasites take 26 days to mature, but at 77 degrees it takes only 13 days ( Begely 1). This faster maturing  process will result in  mosquitoes being able to infect more people in their lifetime. The predicted droughts from global warming will also kill many of their predators such as dragonflies in the future. This threat for increase in global epidemics, especially malaria, has the highest potential in the African Highlands.

            Africa, the inhabited continent with the lowest standard of living in the world, has a long history of  poverty, poor healthcare, and corrupt government. In the West African dry lands, one of the poorest sections in the world, global warming has the potential to be extra detrimental. Extensive research  highlights  the trends of the increase in malaria outbreak in this region. At

multiple sites in the East African highlands, the locations showing increased malaria outbreak also contains a significant  increase of temperature (Alsop 1). Specifically, Kenya shows the link between increased rainfall, temperature and substantial outbreaks of malaria.(Alsop 1) A 2007 study by The IPCC  which is  scientific body of specialists that evaluate human activity and its effect on climate change, has  confirmed these findings. In the study, they measured malaria data from the 1980s to the 1990s among 50 sites across Ethiopia. There results found that there was an increase in malaria vulnerability associated with high temperatures in the months before. (Alsop 1)  

 All of this data shows that vector borne diseases, specifically those in Africa, tend to increase with warming temperatures and vast climate changes. Both of these impacts  are associated with Global Warming and increase in CO2 emissions. While there is evidence that shows a direct link between temperature rising and malaria, there is some other possible sources that could have an effect on a possible outbreak. Things such as socioeconomic conditions and drug resistance have had links to the outbreak of malaria. While there is some uncertainty by some scientists; there is still strong evidence that climate change will have an effect on the rise of malaria.

Since  global warming appears imminent,  the world needs to address the resulting increase in  the number of malaria outbreaks.  The consequences of malaria outbreaks will not only affect the people of Africa other areas of the planet. In addition to a rising death toll from malaria, the economic impact could be devastating  There will be millions of refugees from these malaria prone areas seeking to live in other regions and millions of dollars will be needed to treat the sick and develop additional vaccines. Also, malaria is a disease that can be easily spread, so

there is a good possibility that it will impact our lives in the United States as well.   The increased risk of a malaria epidemic is only one example of the devastating impact that global

warming could have on our society.  Americans and other nations in the world need to understand the impact that such greenhouse gases are having on our environment and the resulting catastrophic result such could have on the health of individuals, and change our habits before massive repercussions impact Planet Earth.

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