History of malaria millennium BCE in Greece and China. For thousands of years, traditional herbal remedies have been used to treat malaria. The first effective treatment for malaria came from the bark of cinchona tree, which contains quinine. After the link to mosquitos and their parasites were identified in the early twentieth century, mosquito control measures such as widespread use of the insecticide DDT, swamp drainage, covering or oiling the surface of open water sources, indoor residual spraying and use of insecticide treated nets was initiated. Prophylactic quinine was prescribed in malaria endemic areas, and new therapeutic drugs, including chloroquine and artemisinins, were
Malaria and the Caribbean Malaria and the Caribbean The effects of malaria in the Caribbean represent an important chapter of the history of the region, due to its effects on the colonization of the islands and the corresponding impact on society and economy. During the early exploration of the Caribbean islands, there was no immunity of the local nativa population against diseases which were brought by European and African immigrants. Although the Caribbean today is considered “a tropical paradise”, the islands contributed a perfect level of moisture and heat to facilitate the spread of viral and bacterial organisms that led to the death of