Malaria in Kenya's western highlands

Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Sep;11(9):1425-32. doi: 10.3201/eid1109.041131.

Abstract

Records from tea estates in the Kericho district in Kenya show that malaria reemerged in the 1980s. Renewed epidemic activity coincided with the emergence of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria and may have been triggered by the failure of antimalarial drugs. Meteorologic changes, population movements, degradation of health services, and changes in Anopheles vector populations are possible contributing factors. The highland malaria epidemics of the 1940s were stopped largely by sporontocidal drugs, and combination chemotherapy has recently limited transmission. Antimalarial drugs can limit the pool of gametocytes available to infect mosquitoes during the brief transmission season.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / drug therapy
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / history*
  • Disease Outbreaks / history*
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • Kenya / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy
  • Malaria, Falciparum / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / history*

Substances

  • Antimalarials