3/14/2017 ANewHomeforDDTTheNewYorkTimes

TheOpinionPages | OPEDCONTRI BUTOR

ANewHomeforDDT
ByDONALDROBERTS AUG.20,2007

Bethesda,Md.

DDT,themiracleinsecticideturnedenvironmentalbogeyman,isonceagain
playinganimportantroleinpublichealth.InthemalariaplaguedregionsofAfrica,
wheremosquitoesarebecomingresistanttootherchemicals,DDTisnowbeingused
asanindoorrepellent.ResearchthatIandmycolleaguesrecentlyconductedshows
thatDDTisthemosteffectivepesticideforsprayingonwalls,becauseitcankeep
mosquitoesfromevenenteringtheroom.

Thenewsmayseemsurprising,assomemosquitoesworldwidearealready
resistanttoDDT.Butwevelearnedthatevenmosquitoesthathavedevelopedan
immunitytobeingdirectlypoisonedbyDDTarestillrepelledbyit.

Malariaaccountsfornearly90percentofalldeathsfromvectorbornedisease
globally.AnditissurginginAfrica,surpassingAIDSasthebiggestkillerofAfrican
childrenunderage5.

Fromthe1940sonward,DDTwasusedtokillagriculturalpestsanddisease
carryinginsectsbecauseitwascheapandlastedlongerthanotherinsecticides.DDT
helpedmuchofthedevelopedworld,includingtheUnitedStatesandEurope,
eradicatemalaria.Theninthe1970s,afterthepublicationofRachelCarsonsSilent
Spring,whichraisedconcernoverDDTseffectsonwildlifeandpeople,the
chemicalwasbannedinmanycountries.Birds,especially,weresaidtobe
vulnerable,andthechemicalwasblamedforreducedpopulationsofbaldeagles,

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falconsandpelicans.Scientificscrutinyhasfailedtofindconclusiveevidencethat
DDTcausescancerorotherhealthproblemsinhumans.

Today,indoorDDTsprayingtocontrolmalariainAfricaissupportedbythe
WorldHealthOrganizationtheGlobalFundtoFightAIDS,Tuberculosisand
MalariaandtheUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment.

TheremainingconcernhasbeenthatthegreateruseofDDTinAfricawould
onlyleadmosquitoestodevelopresistancetoit.Decadesago,suchresistance
developedwhereverDDTcropsprayingwascommon.AftertheDDTbanswentinto
effectintheUnitedStatesandelsewhere,itcontinuedtobeusedextensivelyfor
agricultureinAfrica,andthisexertedapowerfulpressureonmosquitoesthereto
developresistance.AlthoughDDTisnowprohibitedforcropsprayinginAfrica,a
fewmosquitospeciestherearestillresistanttoit.ButDDThasothermechanismsof
actingagainstmosquitoesbeyondkillingthem.Italsofunctionsasaspatial
repellent,keepingmosquitoesfromenteringareaswhereithasbeensprayed,and
asacontactirritant,makinginsectsthatcomeincontactwithitsoirritatedthey
leave.

Inourstudies,inwhichwesprayedDDTonthewallsofhutsinThailand,three
outofeveryfivetestmosquitoessensedthepresenceofDDTmoleculesandwould
notenterthehuts.ManyofthosethatdidenterandmadecontactwithDDTbecame
irritatedandquicklyflewout.

Themosquitoesweusedwerethekindthatcarrydengueandyellowfever,not
malaria.Butthereisampleevidencethatmalariacarryingmosquitoesrespond
similarlytoDDT.SeveralmalariacarryingspeciesareevenmoresensitivetoDDTs
repellenteffects.

Whenwesprayedthehutswitheitherdieldrinoralphacypermethrin,in
contrast,allthetestmosquitoesentered.Alphacypermethrinactedasacontact
irritant,anditkilledothersthatlingeredonatreatedsurface.Dieldrinworkedonly
asapoisonapowerfulone,killing92percentofmosquitoesthatmadecontact
withit,farmorethanalphacypermethrinorDDT.

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Butdieldrinsstrongtoxicitymeansthatmosquitoesquicklydevelopresistance
toit.Itsuseagainstmalariawasshortlived,endinginthe1950s,becauseitso
quicklybecamepowerless.

Alphacypermethrinandotherslikeitinthefamilyofsocalledpyrethroid
insecticidesareviewedasenvironmentallyfriendly,sotheyareusedheavilyin
agriculture,inAfricaandelsewhere.Theyarealsousedfortreatingbednetsandin
indoorsprayingprogramstocontrolmalaria.Butthesemultipleuses,combined
withfactthattheinsecticidemustmakecontactwiththeinsectinordertowork,
havemadepyrethroidresistancealargeandgrowingproblemforpestcontrol
programsinAfrica.

DDTsspatialrepellency,bykeepingmosquitoesfrommakingphysicalcontact,
reducesthelikelihoodthattheinsectswilldevelopresistance.Eventhose
mosquitoesalreadyresistanttopoisoningbyDDTarerepelledbyit.

ItwouldbeamistaketothinkwecouldrelyonDDTalonetofightmosquitoes
inAfrica.Fortunately,researchaimedatdevelopingnewandbetterinsecticides
continuesthanksespeciallytotheworkoftheinternationalInnovativeVector
ControlConsortium.Untilasuitablealternativeisfound,however,DDTremainsthe
cheapestandmosteffectivelongtermmalariafighterwehave.

DonaldRobertsisanemeritusprofessoroftropicalmedicineattheUniformedServices
UniversityoftheHealthSciencesandaboardmemberofthenonprofithealthadvocacy
groupAfricaFightingMalaria.

Aversionofthisopedappearsinprinton,onPageA19oftheNewYorkeditionwiththeheadline:ANew
HomeforDDT.

2017TheNewYorkTimesCompany

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