Author: ulick

Three articles this week reminded me how unquestioned the belief that malaria is spread by insect vectors is. This belief is supported by confirmation bias. Every result that suggests a connection is highlighted. Any evidence that does not support the belief is explained away or ignored. This is no different than the approach of Ross […]

In Malaria World this week there is reference to a study purported to support an increase in the dosage of Primaquine to children with Plasmodium vivax malaria. However, is that the main conclusion that can be taken from the study? The study, ‘Primaquine for uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in children younger than 15 years: a […]

There were three articles this week in Malaria World related to Ghana. Two articles related to vaccination programmes. A retrospective assessment of a pilot RTS,S rollout in in 2019-2021 (Adjei et al) did not even attempt to examine if the vaccine actually worked at preventing the target disease. It just examined its administration. And despite […]

An article referenced in Malaria World this week is A historical perspective of malaria policy and control in India by Sam et al. India is important in the history of the medical establishment malaria transmission narrative because it was where Ronald Ross, the British Army medic who supposedly demonstrated the mosquito plasmodium connection, carried out […]

In Malaria World this week there is a link to a communication by epidemiologist, Prof. Fred Binka, who urges the Ghana government to prioritise investment in malaria research. He is advocating for investment in new tools and technologies that could cut down on the reproduction and transmission of mosquito, the vector, he claims, spreads malaria. […]

The underlying theory of malaria transmission and the transmission of other diseases by mosquito vectors is that germs enter the female mosquito as part of a blood meal and then develop further in the mosquito before moving to the salivary glands of the animal. When the mosquito bites again, it injects a little saliva that […]

One of the issues with the belief that malaria is spread by mosquitos is the willingness of many to believe that other diseases are spread by mosquitos. Over the recent labor day weekend in USA there was a scare about West Nile Virus covered sensationally in main stream media. The news articles are the usual […]

Malaria World this week has a review article by Irish et al published in Malaria Journal, ‘A review of selective indoor residual spraying for malaria control’. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is described by the authors as one of the most effective malaria control tools. However, its application has become limited to specific contexts due to […]

In my book ‘Malaria is spread by mosquitos?’  I made the point that even within the vast quantity of peer reviewed research focusing on supporting the conventional mosquito-plasmodium narrative there are hints to what might really be causing the illness. And one reference this week in Malaria World is an example – ‘Close Proximity to […]

The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute asks if genetic approaches could be a sharper tool in the ‘malaria toolkit’ to go with old standbys like bed nets and indoor residual spraying. Its quotes Dr Damaris Matoka-Muhia of the Kenya Medical Research Institute who considers gene drives a potentially sustainable, long-term, and cost-effective solution for malaria – […]