Some say it is environmentally harzardous, othesr say thats just political.
Does anyone have a clear informed position to advise my countryme?
2007-02-20 04:53:43 · 5 answers · asked by Gilbert M 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
DDT does an excellent job of killing the mosquitoes that are responsible for Malaria.
It only became a major issue when people in the US would run behind the trucks that were spraying DDT.
Common sense would tell a person that it was a stupid idea to run in the chemicals being sprayed.
Due to stupid people not taking proper precautions when handling and spraying chemicals, and the chemicals overuse, it was outlawed.
Now there are more deaths due to Malaria. If these countries would use the DDT with care and people head warnings of staying inside when its being sprayed, we would see less cases of Malaria.
2007-02-20 05:14:05 · answer #1 · answered by bratty brat 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
DDT does NOT do anything for malaria fever. It kills the mosquitoes that may carry the disease from one person to another.
It was banned, and has now been proven to be safe. Sadly millions of people have died in the interim, when countries were forbiddent to spray the areas where the mosquitoes breed.
Hopefully the WHO can get a handle on using it again and eradicate the disease.
2007-02-20 05:00:07 · answer #2 · answered by thisbrit 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DDT is a very persistent chemical in the environment and bioaccumulates. It's best use in malaria prevention is to spray inside peoples' homes not outside in the environment
2007-02-20 06:20:01 · answer #3 · answered by jonnyraven 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Insect eats plants. Plants are covered in DDT. Bird eats insect. Bird eats lots of insects. Bird is filled with DDT. Hawk, eagle, rat, everyting on the higher end of the food chain eats bird. Lots of birds. Lots of little animals, concentrating the DDT. Well what do you know, their eggs are too soft to have a chick. What do you know, they hawks' leg just fell off. Hmm...cellular damage.
Now what makes you think humans are immune and only animals are being affected? Birth defects are a horrible thing to live with, especially when they could be prevented.
DDT is poison, it is a known fact, it is no more political than anything else.
2007-02-20 05:05:16 · answer #4 · answered by marie 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
As another says - it kills the mosquitoes - or at least some. It cannot and must not prevent you from taking the proper tablets as well. You also need to monitor yourself after you return from a malarial zone. If you get it after you return the hospital can sort it
2007-02-20 05:04:23 · answer #5 · answered by Davy B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋