Nonmalarial infant deaths and DDT use for malaria control.
Although dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) is being banned worldwide, countries in sub-Saharan Africa have sought exemptions for malaria control. Few studies show illness in children from the use of DDT, and the possibility of risks to them from DDT use has been minimized. However, plausible if inconclusive studies associate DDT with more preterm births and shorter duration of lactation, which raise the possibility that DDT does indeed have such toxicity. Assuming that these associations are causal, we estimated the increase in infant deaths that might result from DDT spraying. The estimated increases are of the same order of magnitude as the decreases from effective malaria control. Unintended consequences of DDT use need to be part of the discussion of modern vector control policy.
Chen
Aimin
A
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
Rogan
Walter J
WJ
D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D003634:DDT / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy
D003634:DDT