Over-Treating Malaria in Africa

In Africa, even when tests show that a patient does not have malaria, clinicians often prescribe malaria treatment.

US army studies malaria vaccine

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Malaria is a disease of the developing world, but some Americans are being infected with malaria intentionally to help medical research. Reporter Eric Niiler profiles volunteers in a US Army study of an experimental malaria vaccine. Download MP3

Socks may keep mosquitoes at bay

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A new scientific study suggests smelly socks could help in the fight against malaria. The odors could be used to attract mosquitoes into traps. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with the lead author of the study, Dr. Renate Smallegange in the Netherlands. Download MP3

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Fighting blindness in Ethiopia

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Health problems that afflict the world’s poor have received unprecedented attention in recent years. Governments and foundations alike are pouring billion of dollars into the fights against diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. But medical workers who focus on lesser known diseases say their efforts remain as difficult as ever. Reporter Odette Yousef traveled to Ethiopia to follow the struggles of one American organization that’s fighting trachoma, a leading cause of blindness in Africa.

DDT use provokes political battle in Uganda

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The pesticide DDT, long banned in the United States, has made something of a comeback in Africa. DDT can be an effective weapon against malaria. The U.S. government, and the World Health Organization are encouraging African countries to use the insecticide, and say it is safe when handled properly. But in the East African nation of Uganda, DDT has provoked a fierce political battle. Reporter Alison Hawkes traveled to northern Uganda.

Reality check on DDT use

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So what’s the reality when it comes to DDT? Is it really necessary for fighting malaria? How dangerous is it to people? We run those questions and others by May Berenbaum, head of the department of entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She studies the relationship between insects and people. (Photo: Sinclair Stammers/Science Photo Library) >>>Ask May Berenbaum about DDT use in our latest World Science Forum.

A DDT debate in Uganda

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In Uganda, a government program to battle malaria using the pesticide DDT has provoked a fierce backlash. Farmers, politicians, and villagers fear the government is poisoning them. Yet many public health experts say the risks of DDT are far less than the risks of malaria. Alison Hawkes traveled to northern Uganda and sent this report.

An entomologist’s take on DDT

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So what’s the reality when it comes to DDT? Is it really necessary for fighting malaria? And how dangerous is it to people? Anchor Marco Werman gets some answers from May Berenbaum, head of the department of entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.