Florida and Texas report cases of malaria transmitted domestically

July 11, 2023

Illustration by dall-e (Openai.com) with prompt “impressionist painting of a mosquito on a human arm

I hate getting bitten by mosquitos, but around home I have never worried about getting malaria.  As I live in New England, I worry a little bit about Babesiosis (caused by a malaria-like parasite) and more about Eastern Equine Encephalitis (a virus that often causes severe neurologic damage). I use insect repellent when I’m outside at dawn or dusk, especially gardening or walking in the nearby woods.

The US has about 2000 cases of malaria a year, but since 2003 all of these were in people who had traveled recently to regions with known malaria. The CDC has reported five cases of malaria that were acquired in Florida and Texas, and Florida reported an additional two cases yesterday.  This do not mean that we in the US face risks like those in sub Saharan Africa, but they should give us pause. More of the US will be at temperatures amenable to mosquitoes that can carry malaria for more days each year.

Implications for employers:

-        Employers with outdoor workers in warm weather should be vigilant to provide them with protection against insects, as well as protection against dehydration and overheating.

-        Outdoor areas of workspaces should not have standing water that allows mosquitoes to breed

-        Malaria is a medical emergency, and employees with unexplained fevers should be encouraged to seek prompt medical care.

-        This could be one more harbinger of the potential that climate change will increase illness and increase the cost of employer sponsored health plans

Tomorrow:   Pressure increases for FDA to approve drugs for rare diseases