21 Century Science and Technology- With DDT Spraying, Malaysia Can Show the World How to Control...

8/14/2019 21 Century Science and Technology- With DDT Spraying, Malaysia Can Show the World How to Control Dengue (

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21stCenturyScience&Technology Summer2009 53

The ocial announcementby theWorldHealthOrga-nizationinSeptember2006

givingacleanbillohealthtotheuse o DDT or indoor sprayingor controllingmalaria,1 reversedWHOs30-yearbanonDDTandoereda promising way orwardoralsocontrollingthespreadomosquito-bornedengueever.Thedengueevervirus,whichistransmittedtohumanbeingsbytheAedesmosquito,hasincreasedalarm-inglyinrecentdecadesto50millioncasesperyear,subjectingabouttwothsotheworldspopulationtoriskoinection,particularlyinurbanandsemi-

urbanareasinthetropicsandsubtropics.2

A severe orm o thedisease, denguehaemor-rhagicever,isaleadingcauseoillnessanddeathamongchildreninsomeAsiancountries.Malaysiais a typical example,with denguenow rampant.Denguevirususuallycausesanincapacitatingfu-likeillnesswithsuddenonsetandhighever,severeheadache,painbehindtheeyes,muscleandjointpains, and rash.Denguehaemorrhagic ever, theWHOreports,aects500,000peopleperyearand

canhavea20percentdeathrate,withoutskilledhospitaltreatmentespeciallyamongchildren.Unortunately,thereisnovac-

cine to protect against dengue.Althoughprogress is underway,developingavaccineagainstthediseaseeitherinitsmildorse-vere ormis challenging. Theonlywaytopreventdenguevirus

transmission is to combat the disease-carryingmosquitoes.

AProposedMalaysianDDTExperimentMalaysia,asmallnationthathasdevelopedwell

in52yearsoindependence,withapopulationo27millionand65percenturbanization,isinanexcel-lentpositiontotesttheeectivenessosprayingtheindoorwallsohouseswithDDT,asrecommendedbyWHO.Onlyminutequantities,0.3partspermil-lioninawaterspray,needtobeused,whichissu-cienttorepelmosquitoesromhomesoruptosixmonthswhenthesprayingcanberepeated.Femalemosquitoesinsearchoabloodmealto

supporteggproductionareattractedtohousesbythe

A Malaysian scientistproposes a pilotproject to test a

program using DDTto control dengue.

Can Show the WorldHow to ControlDenguebyMohdPeterDavis

TheAsiantigermosquito(Aedesalbopictus), isone o thevectors ordengue. Herethe emale eedson the blood o ahuman host.

With DDT Spraying,

MALAYSIA


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54 Summer2009 21stCenturyScience&Technology

carbondioxideandpheromonesemittedbyhumans,butthesmell oDDTis abhorrent tomosquitoes.Thisghting-re-with-reapproachatthemolecularlevelgreatlyreducesthechancesogettingbittenbymosquitoinsidethehome,andwasthehiddenbasisorthehighlysuccessulanti-malariastrategy

usedthroughouttheworldbeoreDDTwasunjustlybanned.Similarlow-doseDDTsprayingopotentialmosquitobreed-

ingsitesimmediatelyoutsideeachhouse,andinthegardens

andstreetsodenseurbanareas,servestoprevent{Ades} mosquitoes rom laying eggs in rainwater trawhetherinman-madehabitatsornaturalones,suchthewaterthatcollectsinleavesandbranchnodes.Thisoutdoorurbanstrategy,termedperiocalsprayin

wasusedtovirtuallyeradicatedengueinSouthAmericinthe1950s.Unlikethepresentoggingstrategy,wshort-livedpesticidesthatkillmosquitoesoncontact,taimoperiocalsprayingwithminutequantitiesolon

actingDDTistorepelmosquitoesromtheirnaturalanman-madebreedingsitesindenseurbanareas.Liethe city and suburbs protected by ridiculously smquantitiesoDDTbecomestoughormosquitoes.Tharedeniedhumanbloodmealsandgoodbreedingsiandhavetogobacktonaturetobreed!Thisiswhe

mosquitoesrightlybelong,inlownumbers,partothenaturalecosystemothebiospherTrying toexterminatemosquitoeswitht

crudepesticidescurrentlyusedinoggingcapaignsisastupiddenguecontrolstrategythhasrepeatedlyailedandshouldbecomparwiththeeleganceoproposedcombined

door/outdoorDDTstrategythataimssimplyrepelmosquitoes(alsokillingsomeotheromdengue-aectedurbanareas.ItheMalaysiangovernment,viatheMin

tryoHealth,weretogiveitsullsupporttotprogram,MalaysiaunderthewatchuleyeWHO, could test and scientically evalutheDDTproposalinpilotprojectindenghotspotsuburbs.ArmedwithDDT,thePub

Health sprayingteamswillagainhave thedecisiveweapagainstdengue.ItwillbeanexcitingliveexperimentorlonsueringMalaysianstoobserveandollow,andwillservetcountertheanti-DDTbrainwashingthepopulationhasbesubjectedtobythegreenenvironmentalmovement.

Mostimportant,itcouldbeaworld-classnationalexperimenwithleadingdengueandDDTexpertsasadvisors,orthebeneo40percentotheworldspopulationnowatriskromdeng

Source: The Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agricultu

The distribution o dengue ever in the world, as o 2006. Dengue is transmitted the Aedesmosquito, in particular A.aegypti andA.albopictus.The blue color idicates areas where Aedesaegypti is the vector. At let: An up-close look at thdengue virus, with a magnifcation o 123,000 times.

Sixty-fve percent o Malay-sias population is urban.Here a view o the capitalcity, Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysias independence cel-ebration on Sept. 16, 1963.The Federation o Malaysiawas ormed by the merger oMalaya, Sabah, Sarawak, andSingapore. The Malay wordsMajulah Malaysia meanOnward Malaysia.


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Asimilarnationalexperimentconcerningthegeneralwel-areoccurredin1970inAustralia.Whiletherestotheworldagonizedoverthecompulsorywearingorontseatbeltsinau-tomobiles,Australiaboldlycutthroughalltheindividualrightsobjectionsandmadeitcompulsory,toaddresstheslaughteron

theroads.By1974,Australiasdecreaseo37percentindeathsand41percentininjuriesconvincedtherestotheworldtoquicklyadoptsimilarmandatoryseatbeltlegislation.NowthatWHOhasunderlinedtheecacyotheindoor

sprayingoDDT,Malaysiacanconductanationalscienticex-perimentthathopeullywillconvinceaworldthathasorgot-tenhowtheuseoDDTinthe1950sand1960swassuccess-ullycombatingmalariaanddengue.Wemustnotmissthisgoldenopportunitytoagaincontrolthesediseases,especiallyastheworldeconomydisintegrates.Thelessonohistoryisthateconomiccollapseandrapidincreaseindiseasesgohandinhand.RecalltheBlackDeathollowingthe14thCenturydisin-tegrationotheEuropeannancialsystem,ormorerecentlythe50milliondeathsromthe1918infuenzapandemicollowing

thesocial andeconomic breakdown unleashedbytheFirstWorldWar.

TheMalaysianDengueSituationThereportednumberocasesoDengueFeverinMalaysia

continues togo rombad toworse, rising each yearrom7,103casesin2000to49,335in2008,anincreaseonearly700percent.Thisincreaseoccurredde-spite energetic outdoor insecticide og-gingcampaignsconductedbytheMinis-try o Health3 to control the Aedesmosquitopopulationinurbanareas.Thelackosuccesswithoutdoorspray-

inghasbeennotedworldwide.TheHeadoInsectsandInectiousDiseasesUnitatthe Pasteur Institute in Paris, ProessorPaulReiter,ina2009lettertotheMalay-sianNew Straits Timessumsuptheprac-tice:Foggingwithinsecticidesromroadvehicleshaslittleornoimpactinurbanareas.Reitergoesontostate:Search-and-destroy missions (againstmosquitolarvae)canbeeectiveipeoplearevigi-

lant,butmanysitesarehardtond,evenbyproessionalento-mologists.4

Anotherepidemiologistwhohasexperienceinghtingden-guehasdocumentedhowperiocalsprayingwithDDTaroundtheoutsideothehousesinthedengueareahasbeeneectiveinthepast.Malaysiashouldincludethisinitspilotproject.ThelimitedsuccessothecurrentmethodusedinMalaysiais

borneoutbyalargecampaignin2008tocontrolthespreadodengue,conductedbytheMinistryoHealth,whichmobilized11,892volunteerresidentsin598suburbs(around20residentspersuburb)inweeklysearch-and-destroyactivitiesoAedesbreedingsites.TheHealthMinistryreportedconsiderablesuc-cesswithan84percentreductionindenguecasesinthesesub-urbs.5However,thenumberoreportedcasesthroughoutMa-laysiain2008stillroseby1percent.Clearly,itwouldrequiretheconstantmobilizationohugenumbersovolunteersinAe-

dessearch-anddestroymissionsineveryurbansuburbandin-deedruralareasthroughoutthecountrytoeectivelycontrolthespreadodengue.Facedwiththisdauntingtask,theMinistryoHealthhasin-

steadplacedtheresponsibilityoneveryresidentandactoryownertocontrolAedesbreedingsitesintheircompoundsbyregularlyemptyingthebaseofowerpotsandotherwatercon-

tainers,includingcleaningstoragewatertankseveryweek.Thereareheavynesithepatrollinghealthteamsdiscovermos-quitolarvaeinaactoryorhousehold.Yetdenguecaseshaveincreasedseven-oldineightyears.Thesadtruthisthat

theMinistry oHealth has been trans-ormedromatop-downbodyohighlytrained and dedicated disease controlproessionalsprotectingthepublichealthtobecomealow-gradeandresentedpo-liceorce,whichincreasinglyblamesthepublicorspreadingdengue.Again,ProessorReiterhitsthenailon

the head: There is no country in theworldwheredengueisundercontrol.We

United Nations University

TheMalaysianMinistryofHealthspesticidefoggingprogramfordenguehasfailedtostopthespreadofdengue.

ThisisanOvitrap,usedtomonitortheAsianTiger Mosquito bycollecting itseggs.

Frombadtoworse:Denguecasesincreasednearly700percentfrom2000to2008.

REPORTEDDENGUECASESINMALAYSIA


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needoriginalideastowinthebat-

tle.

RethinkingtheDengueProblem

Wehavereachedadeadendandneedtogobacktobasics.TryingtoexterminatetheAedesmosquitoinMalaysia or worldwide to controldengueormalariais missionim-possible,ratherliketryingtoelimi-nate cockroaches or termites romthe biosphere.Nomatterhow so-phisticatedthetechnique,romnewinsecticidestokilllarvae,biological

controltoeatthem,orthereleaseomaleAedesmosquitoeswithtrans-genicsterilitygenes,insectextermi-nationisnottheanswer.ThisisbecausetheemaleAedes

mosquitoisnotthesourceothedenguevirusbutmerelythetransmitterothedisease:thefyingsyringewhichpicksupdenguevirusinthebloodoinectedhumans.Althoughlimitedreproductionodenguevirusoccursinmosquitoes,theyhaveashortlieanddiewithin50days,alongwiththevirus.Itishu-manbeingsandmonkeys,notfowerpotsanddirtydrains,thatarethemainbreedinggrounds,producers,andreservoirsothedenguevirus.

Wemuststopthinkingootherspeciesasaliensromanotherplanet,threateningmankind.KillingeveryspeciesthatspreadsdiseasetohumanswouldsoonentailtheexterminationoalllieonEarth.Althoughitisotenhardtoaccept,mosquitoesdoserveauseulandnecessarypurposeintheEarthsbiosphere,whichcontainsperhaps50millioninterdependentspecies.Thehighlycursedmosquitodoesnothaveanevilintentagainsthu-mans.TheonlyreasonemaleAedesmosquitoesbitehumansisor bloodmeals to complete their reproductive cycle. Thewrong public health strategy o trying toexterminateAedes

mosquitoes has in actlowedthepoolohumansected with dengue virusdramatically increase incentdecadesandgetdangouslyoutocontrol.

TheWaragainstDDTCan we stop mosquito

biting humans? That woustopthespreadodengueits tracks.The goodnewsyes we can! As the WoHealthOrganization advisin 2006: Go back to whDDTwaseectivelycontrlingmalaria and othermquito-borne diseases incluing dengue rom the m1940stotheearly1970sb

oreitwasunjustlybannedworwide.

The green environmental movmentrana10-yearearcampairemarkablysimilartotodaysglowarminghysteria,claimingthattlie-saving DDT was a dangeroenvironmental poison.The raudlentcampaigntookoinin196whenRachelCarson,amarinebioogistandwell-knownsciencewrer,claimed thattheuseoDDThouseholdsandagriculturewaskiingwildlie,especiallybirds.Henthetitleoherbook, Silent Sprinwhich shockedan innocentwo

intobelieving thatDDTandmamade chemicals were threatenlieonEarth.CarsonalselyreportmanyotheresultsoDDTstudinordertomakehercase,asU

entomologistDr.J.GordonEdwardshasdocumented. 6

Soundamiliar?ThemisinormationagainstDDTwasunitewithzeropopulationgrowth,andtheimminentexhaustionresourcesonspaceshipEarthclaimedbytheCluboRome,iagiantearcampaignthatbecametheanaticalbattlecryogreenenvironmentalmovement.The1968ersromtheunivesities,thoseanti-Vietnamwar,anti-bluecollar,drugs/sex/arock n roll white-collar baby boomers, became the sho

trooperswho turned the optimistic postwar public cultuwhichsupportedprogressdrivenbyscienceandtechnologintogreenscienticpessimists.Manyscientistsinternationallyoughtbackwithconvinc

evidence.TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyconducedsevenmonthsohearingsonDDTin1972,producingmothan9,000pagesotranscript.Attheend,theEPAhearingeaminer,EdmundSweeney,ruledthatonthebasisothescieticevidence,DDTshouldnotbebanned.DDTisnotcarnogenic,mutagenic,orteratogenictoman[and]theseuses

Institute forMedical Research

BeforethebanonDDT,Malaysiauseditinahousesprayingcam-paignagainstmalaria.

TheUnitedStatesbegansprayingwithDDTformalariacontrolshortlyafterthepesticidewasintroduced.

Below,sprayingofamilitaryfacilityintheSoutheast.

CDC


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DDTdonothaveadeleteriouseectonsh,birds,wildlie,orestuarineorganisms.7

ButtheEPAadministrator,NixonappointeeWilliamRuck-elshaus,ignoredthesehearingsandbannedDDTanyway,lateradmittingthathedidsoorpoliticalreasons.TheU.S.banonDDT,ineectbanneditintheareasothe

worldthatneeditmost.TheU.S.StateDepartment,othergov -ernments,andNGOsthenreusedtoundanyaidprogramthatinvolvedtheuseoDDT.Poorcountriescouldnotaordtolosethisaid.ThebanonDDT,againstallthescienticevidenceestablish-

ingitshumansaety,provedovertheyearstobeacrimeagainsthumanity.The LaRouchemovement,which haschampioned

thereintroductionoDDTordecades,estimatesthatthebanningoDDTsince1972 has led to 60 million needlessdeaths,mainlyrommalariaindevelop-ing countries, especially in Arica. Tograspthemagnitudeothiscrime,inthewholeo the20thCentury, road acci-dentsworldwideclaimedhalthisnum-ber,30millionlives.Theresponsibilityortheunjustban

onDDT,lieswithPrincePhilipandtheenvironmental movement that helaunched and controlled through his

WorldWildlieFundorNature,anditspoisonous oshoots such as Green-peace.These share an evil belie, asollowers oMalthus andHitler, thattheEarthisgrosslyoverpopulatedandneedstobereducedrom6.7billiontolessthan2billion.Theyhavecertainlypracticedwhattheypreached.Theen-vironmentalistswaragainstDDTwasawaragainsthumanity.Puttothetest,

ateamoreshyounglawyersandscientists,armedwith thehistoric record, could todayprovethatcaseinanyaircourt.Bynaturallaw,thetrialshouldbeheldinArica.LiketheNazitrialsinNurembergGermany,suchtrialsareheldclosewherethegenocideoccurred.

HowDDTWorksThebeautyoDDTisthatitnotonlykills

mosquitoes,butitisstillbyarthemosteec-tivemosquitorepellenteverinventedbymanand is amazingly cheap to produce. A ewgramsoDDTinasolutionsprayedonthein-sidewallsoahousewillkeepmostmosquitoesaway,asibymagic,orabout6months.(Theeectisknownasexcito-repellency.)Thenthewallscanbere-sprayedwithDDT.Imagineagi-antmosquitonetoverthewholehouse;thatistheeectthatDDTprovides.

Aedesmosquitoescanfymanykilometerstoeedandndtheirvictimsbyollowinganin-creasinggradientomoleculesintheair,such

ascarbondioxideandotherproductsohumanandanimalmetabolism.WhenthemosquitosantennaealsostarttopickupthemoleculesoDDTcomingromahouse,itseectisrepulsive,andthehungrymosquitoesarecompelledtogoelsewhereortheirbloodmeal.Forhumans,DDTisalmostodorless.Ithasbeenoundrom

longpracticethatsprayingtheindoorwallsohousesjustoncewithDDTgivestheinhabitantsgoodprotectionagainstmosqui-tobitesor6monthsormore.Incontrast,mosquitocoils,vapormats,andaerosolsprayshavetobeuseddailyandcontainin-secticidechemicalssuchasprallethrinandallethrin,whichkillratherthanrepelmosquitoes.So,largeamountsothesemoreexpensiveinsecticidechemicalshavetobeused,yettheyarearlesseectivethanaewgramsocheapDDTrepellent.

EPA

PresidentNixon(left)andChiefJusticeWarrenBurger(right)attheswearinginceremonyforEPAadministratorWilliamRuckelshaus,Dec.4,1970.Twoyearslater,RuckelhaussbanonDDTlaunchedthegrowthofU.S.greengroupsandtheincreaseofmalaria.

RachelCarsonsSilentSpring,thebibleoftheanti-DDTMalthusians.

BritainsPrincePhilipfoundedtheenvi-ronmentalistmovementtocarryouthisdepopulationwishes.Hehasoftenstat-edhisdesiretobereincarnatedasaroy-alvirustohelpwiththekilling.


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Despite60yearsoorganicsynthesistondabettermosquitorepellent,DDTisstillinaclassoitsownastheworldsbestand

saestmosquitorepellent.AlthoughDDTisnot100percenteectivein preventingmosquitobites,it nonetheless has amarkableeectinreducingthespreadomosquito-bornedeasessuchasmalaria,yellowever,anddengue.ItisimportthattheinsideoeveryhouseandpublicbuildinginthecomunityissprayedwithDDT.Thisisapublichealthmeasurelikchlorinatedtapwater,rubbishcollection,andhouseholdseage,whichiscarriedouttopromotethegeneralwelare.Giventheirrationalearactorpromotedbythegreens,a

objectionsmustrstbeovercomewithanintensivecampa

opubliceducationconductednationallyinthemedia,andepeciallyinthesuburbs,bydiseasecontrolproessionals,towthecondenceandsupportothecommunity.Ontheappoineddays,thesamehealthocialswillthengoontoactuaspraytheinsidewallsoeverydwellingandpublicandcommercialbuildingwithDDT.Diseasecontrolisagovernmentresponsibilityhandled

proessionals andmust notbe let to volunteers.With twholecommunity ineectquarantined, inwhatmightcalledDDTsaehousesduringmuchotheAedesmosqtosbitinghoursarounddawnanddusk,thespreadodengbymosquitoesromahumancarriertootherhumansisgre

Courtesy of Kathy Keatley Garvey, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

University of California Davis researcher Zain Syed (right)spraysDEETonthearmofchemicalecologistWalterLeal.TheirresearchshowsthatDEET,likeDDT,repelsmosquitoes.

MalaysiahelditsrsteverNationalDengueConerenceonJuly28-29,2009andcompletelysurprisedtheorganiz-ers,thePublicHealthSpecialistAssociationoMalaysia,90percentowhosemembersaremedicaldoctors,largelyem-ployedinthegovernmentsector.Theorganizersexpected100delegates,andwouldhavebeendelightedwith200,butwereswampedwith300attendees,includingtopMinistryoHealthocials,universitygroups,anddengueoggingteamscameromall14statesoMalaysia.Asdenguecasesanddeathsrisealarmingly,creatingearin

denseurbanareas,thiswasawarcouncildeterminedtoex-

plorebetterstrategies.IrealizedthisassoonasIarrivedattheconerenceandwaswhiskedintoseetheorganizers.Icau-tiouslyexplainedthatthetalkIhadbeeninvitedtogive,IsFoggingaWasteoTime?wouldbeverycontroversial,sinceIhadbeenadvocatingorsixyearsthere-introductionoDDT,claimedtobe just aboutthemostdangerouschemicalonearthbythegreenenvironmentalistsorthelast45years.We know, we know, weve been reading your DDT

letters in thenewspapers, exclaimed a topgovernmenthealthocialconspiratorially.Thatswhyweinvitedyouandotherresearcherswhothinkdierentlyromus.Wearenotgettinganywherewithconventionalogging;weneedtothinkoutothebox.

Astheconerenceprogressed,itbecameclearthatMalay-siasWaragainstDenguewashavingapositiveintellectualeect,despitetheescalatingnationaldenguecases.Thepre-sentedreportsandthemanyinnovativepostersshowedadeterminationtocontroldengueoutbreaks.ThenewideaswerecomingnotromsomuchromtheHealthMinistry,butromthetroopsontheground.Therealstrategicproblembecameobvious.Thetroopswere ghtingenthusiasticallybutwithlousyweapons.

Nowitwastimeortheresearchers.ProessorAbuHassanAhmadromUniversitiScienceMalaysiaamazedthedele-gateswithphotoaterphotoohowAedesmosquitoesactu-allybreedindenseurbanareaswheredengueisrampant.Althoughtheoggingteamswerediligentlyoggingtheopendrainsandcheckinglargehouseholdwatercontainers,theAedesmosquitoeswerelayingtheireggsinseeminglyinsig-nicantquantitiesowater,trappednaturallybytheleavesoplantsandinthehollowsotreesandbranchnodes,theirnatural habitat. Much more important, the researchersound,Aedeshadadaptedtolayingeggsinthefotsamo

modernurbancommunitiesandwascolonizingdiscardeddrinktins,oodcontainers,andevenemptycigarettepack-ets.Anything,thatcouldcollectrainwater,nomatterhowsmallthevolume,wassuitableorAedestolayeggsandhatchlarvae.Mosquitoesweredemonstratingthesuccessulcockroach

survivalstrategyoroutwittingmansexterminationattemptsbyexploitinganypossiblehabitat,whethernaturalorman-made.TheAedesmosquitoeshadoundtheperectbreed-ingsitessuppliedregularlytoeveryamilywiththegrowthotheplasticsindustry,whichhasreplacedwood,glass,andmetalasthedominanthouseholdmaterial.Takealookathowaplasticbucketisconstructedtopro-

videstrengthtocompensateoritsultra-lightweight.Thewaterthatcollectsintherimoanupturnedbuckethasbe-comethenumberonebreedingsiteoAedesmosquitoesinurbanareas.Theplasticlidoabucket,withitsengineeredwatertrap,ispreerredtothebucketitsel.Nowinvestigatetheundersideootherplasticitems,es-

peciallythosethattendtogetstoredoutdoors,exposedtotherain,suchasplastictoysandcontainers,childrensbi-cycles,plasticgardeningitems,andplasticmatsandbath-

Update:MalaysiaDeclaresWaronDengue!


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lyreduced.Indeed,DonaldR.Roberts,aretiredProessoroTropicalPublicHealthintheUniormedServiceUniversityinBethesda,Maryland, reportsthat in the1960s,themalariaoutbreaksintheAmazonBasinwereusuallybroughtundercontrolbytheDDTsprayingteams beforehisscienticteamarrivedtoinvestigatethedisease.8CouldMalaysiaexpectasimilarresulttodayiitweretoembarkonanationalexperi-ment toevaluateindoor sprayingwithDDTto controlthespreadodengue?

AnotherexampleisSouthArica,whichbravelywithstoodtheinternationalgreeniepressureand re-introducedDDTin2003toghtanout-o-controlmalariaepidemic.Withinoneyear o thereintroductionoDDThouse spraying, the inci-denceomalariaintheworst-hitprovince,KwaZulu-Natal,ellby80percent.Intwoyears,thenumberomalariacasesanddeathsdroppedby93percent.9AstheWHOhasstressed,therearenoenvironmentaleectswhensmallamountsoDDTaresprayedontheinsidewallsohouses.Despitethesecrystalclearbenetsandthesubsequentrever-

saloitsDDTbaninternationallybyWHO,theworldstilldoesnottakeaction.Malaysiashouldtaketheleadandbringthe

worldtoitssenses.WithDDT,mosquito-transmitteddiseasessuchasmalariaanddenguecanbebroughtalmostcompletelyundercontrol.

TheDangerofDEETInsecticidesDDThasbeenreplacedbyinsecticidesthatkillratherthanre-

pelmosquitoes.Themostcommonchemicalsareprallethrinandallethrin,whichareusedseparatelyorincombinationinmos-quitocoils,vapormaps,andmosquitoaerosolspraycans.In

Malaysia,theseproductsarereadilyavailableinshops,andareusedalmostdailyinvirtuallyallhomesinthecountry.Asimplecalculationbythepresentauthorsuggeststhatthecommondai-lyuseothesereasonablysae(butnotcheap)insecticidescouldbeashighas95gramsoprallethrinandallethrinperhouseholdperyearorabout20timesmorethan,say,the5gramsoverycheapDDTrequiredperyearorindoorwallspraying.Thehouseholdinsecticidespresentlyusedassubstitutesor

theDDTrepellent,however,areverypoorsubstitutes,andorextraprotectionagainstmosquitobitesthereisadangerthatamiliesmayalsoresorttopersonalinsectrepellentscontainingDEET(diethyltoluamide),whichisdirectlyappliedtoexposed

roomtiles.Themyriadtinyunlikelywatercavitiesinplasticgoods,inandaroundthehome,areresponsible,accordingtotheestimatesoProessorHassanandhisdiligentstu-dents,orbreedingperhaps75percentourbanAedesmos-quitoes.As thesessionchairlady commented: What theminddoesnotknowtheeyedoesnotsee.Weneedaneducationalvideoalertingthe40percento

theworldspopulationatriskromdenguetothesecretAe-desmosquitobreedingsitesinandaroundthehouse.

EnterDDT...Icouldnothavewishedormoreappropriatenewevi-

denceormyseeminglyoutrageousproposaltoonceagain

sprayinsideandoutsidehouseswithDDT,regardedalmostuniversally(anderroneously)asadangerouscancer-causingenvironmentalpoison.Ihadonehourand45slides(postedonmyBiosphereTechnologywebsitewww.mohdpeterdavis.com)toconvinceapackedaudienceointelligentproes-sionalswhohadbeenbrainwashedagainstDDT.Drawingonthedecades-longcampaigninthepageso

{21stCenturyScience&Technology}tolitthebanonDDT,IpresentedthecompleteDDTstoryromWorldWarII:theneareradicationomalariaandyellowever,theunjustiedDDTbanningin1972againstoverwhelmingscienticevi-denceonitssaetyrom30yearsoworldwideuse,thehid-dengenocideagenda,andthe2006reversalotheDDTban

byWHO.Thepresentationwasreceivedwithintenseinterest,and

thephotooProessorGordonEdwardsbravelyeatingDDTtoproveitssaetysetmanytalking.Thenthewholehallbe-gananimatedlydiscussingonequotationatertheotheroPrincePhilipsWorldWildlieFundandothergreenenvi-ronmentalists, showing whats behind the opposition toDDT.Itwasjusttoosuccessulinsavinghundredomillionsolives,theycomplained.

AgainstthisoutrageousdeliberategenocidebytheMal-thusiansothegreenenvironmentalmovement,whichewhaverealized,mysimpleproposalstoscienticallyevaluatesprayingdenguehotspotswithDDTseemedtobeacceptedwithasighorelie.Thechairmanomysession,aseniorgovernmenthealth

ocial,toldmethatthroughouthiscareerhehadregardedDDTasanunacceptableenvironmentalandhumanpoison,butthatmyone-hourtalkhadturnedhimaround180de-grees.AtlunchhesaidthathisstatewouldliketobethersttoreintroduceDDTwithapilotstudyinadenguehotspot.Iwillinglyconspiredwithaplantomakethishappen!Manyothersoeredagreementwithmypro-DDTpresen-

tationandsupportedmynalsuggestiontoholdanexpertworkshoptojointlyproposenewstrategiesorquicklywin-ningtheLittleDengueWarwithDDTinordertoocusontheBigInfuenzaWarthatwemustwageagainstadanger-ouslyevolving1957,orthearworse1918-typevirulentin-fuenzapandemic.Inabreak,alongtimemosquitoresearcheraskedmehow

IcametobesopassionateaboutDDT,addingthathisrealconcernthatDDTwasproventoaccumulateinthebody(yes,butdueentirelytotheblatantoveruseoDDTorpestcontrol by lazy armersand large agriculturalenterprisessuchascottongrowers).Hisotherconcernwasthatitwouldcausecancer.(No,thisisnottrue).

Sowestillhavealongwaytogoindispellingthebrain-washingandoutrightliesspreadrelentlesslybythegreenenvironmentalmovementeversinceRachelCarsonspoi-sonous1962anti-DDTbook,Silent Spring.Butnow,300Malaysiandoctorsandhealthocialshave

received,orthersttime,atruthulbriengonthehistoryandwonderuldisease-controlpropertiesoDDT,themostlie-savingchemicaleverinventedbyman.

Mohd Peter Davis


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skin.AccordingtoaDukeUniversitystudyin2004,everyyear,approximatelyone-thirdotheU.S.populationusesinsectre-pellentscontainingDEET,availableinmorethan230productswithconcentrationsupto100percent.10

ThemodeoactionDEETinrepellingmosquitoesappearstobesimilartoDDT.InarigorousresearchpaperromUniversityoCaliornia-Davis, involving human subjectswhoexposedtheirarmstomosquitoesunderawidevarietyoexperimentalconditions,SyedandLealsettledalongdebateontheissue,

statingthattheseresultsleadustoclearlyconcludethatthemosquitoessmellandavoidDEET.11ButtherethesimilaritieswithDDTend.ApharmacologistwithDukeUniversity,Dr.MohamedAbou-

Dona,hasspentthelast30yearsresearchingtheeectopes-ticidesinrats,thelaboratoryanimalclosesttohumansormet-abolic investigations. His numerous studies in rats clearlydemonstratethatrequentandprolongedapplicationoDEETcausesneuronstodieinregionsothebrainthatcontrolmusclemovement,learning,memory,andconcentration.10Moreover,rats treatedwithan averagehumandose oDEET (40mg/kgbodyweight)perormedarworsethancontrolratswhenchal-lengedwithphysicaltasksrequiringmusclecontrol,strength,

andcoordination.Sucheectsareconsistentwithphysicalsymptomsinhumanbeingsreportedinthemedicalliterature,especiallybyPersianGulWarveterans.AmericantroopsinIraqareissuedDEETskinrepellentcreamtoprotectthemromthebitingfieswhichcauseBaghdadboilsandalsospreadLeishmaniasis,apara-siticdiseaseaectingtheliver,spleen,andbonemarrow.Re-turningsoldierssuersimilarsymptomstoexperimentalchick-ens treatedwithDEET.These symptoms in humans includememory loss, headache,weakness,muscle and jointpains,tremors,andshortnessobreath,whichcanoccurmonthsoryearsaterexposuretothechemicals.Thetake-homemessage,saysDr.MohamedAbou-Dona,is

neveruse[DEET]insectrepellentsoninants,andbevery

waryousingthemonchildreningeneral.Nevercombinein-secticideswitheachotherorusethemwithothermedications.EvensosimpleadrugasanantihistaminecouldinteractwithDEETtocausetoxicsideeects.Thesepersonalinsectrepel-lentsareintendedtobeusedsparinglyandinrequentlyoroutdoorrecreationaluseandareveryeectiveorabout12hours.However,adangerousscenariocannowbeanticipatedin

urbanareasinMalaysiaandothercountries,wheredengueep-idemicsarecreatingaclimateoearasthediseasespreadstonewregions.Thoseamiliesthatcanaordtodosomaygooverboard,combiningthewholearsenalo readilyavailablemosquitocoils,aerosolinsecticidesprays,andnowDEETper-

sonalrepellentsexactlythepracticeDukeUniversityistryingtoavoidwithitswarning.Itseemsthatinadesperateattempttoprotectagainstdengue,parentscouldstandaveryrealpossibil-ityopoisoningthemselvesandtheirchildrenwithadangerouscocktailoinsecticidesandrepellents.Thedailyoveruseotheseineriorandpotentiallydanger-

ousinsecticidescanbecompletelyreplacedbyindoorspray-ingwithaewgramsoDDTevery6months.Foroutdoorprotectionrommosquitobitesorbuildingandagriculturalworkers,andevenhomegardenersandpicnickers,arangeo

innovativeDDT-impregnatedhatsandouterclothingcandeveloped.

MalaysiasRoleinStoppingDengueWorldwideTheonlyvalidargumentagainstDDTisthatinwidespre

useinagriculture,itcanproduceresistancewithinthetargettinsect populations.The introduction oDDTexclusivelycontrolohumandiseases,restrictingitsuseoragricultuandunderthestrictsupervisionothehealthauthorities,m

wellbeabletocompletelyreplacetheunregulateduseoapresenthouseholdandpersonalinsecticides.Dr.PierreGuillamedicalentomologistwhospent10yearsonmalariacontrinAricaandwhocoordinates theWHOVectorControlaPreventionTeaminGeneva, acknowledged inan intervieThereisnodirectevidenceotoxiceectsoDDTonhumhealth.Iwehaventoundanysuchevidenceater60yearhesaid,Itisbloodysae.12

Malaysia,incollaborationwiththeWorldHealthOrganition,hastheabilitytoconducttheproperDDTindoorsprayioallhousesandpublicbuildingsandalsotheoutdoormosquibreedingsitesinselecteddenguehotspotsuburbs,andtocoparethenumberodenguecaseswithsimilar,conventiona

oggedsuburbs.LiketheboldAustraliancompulsorycarseatexperimentinthe1970s,whichdramaticallysavedlivesandinries,thiscouldbeaworld-classnationalexperiment,withleaingdengueandDDTexpertsasadvisors,orthebenetopercentotheworldspopulationnowatriskromthisdiseasMalaysiasadoptionoindoorandperiocalsprayingwithDDtoprotectthepopulationcouldshowtheworld,brainwashed47yearsagainstDDT,thewayorwardinthecontrolodengu

Mohd Peter Davis is an honorary visiting scientist at the Intute o Advanced Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, near Kula Lumpur. He can be reached at [email protected].

References ____________________________________________________

1. World Health Organization, 2006. WHO gives indoor use of DDT a cleanof health for controlling malaria, Sept. 15, Washington, D.C. http://www.w

int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr50/en/2. World Health Organization, 2009. Dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fev

Fact Sheet No 117, March. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheefs117/en/

3. Malaysia Ministry of Health, 2009. Dengue in Malaysia. Press StatemenDirector General of Health Malaysia, Jan. 12.www.moh.gov.my/MohPorDownloadServlet?id=2425&type=2

4. Paul Reiter, 2009. Fighting Dengue: Good idea but it wont work. NStraits Times(Malaysia), Letter to Editor, Feb. 2.www.nst.com.my/CurreNews/NST/Monday/Letters/2467644/ Article/pppull_index_html

5. See Note 3.

6. Gordon Edwards, 1992. The Lies of Rachel Carson. 21st Century, Summ1992. http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/summ02/Carsohtml

7. Edmund Sweeney, 1972. Cited in Note 7. Photocopy of original documhttp://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/Articles%202007/ddt_hearing.pd

8. Donald R. Roberts, 2006. Interview: To Combat Malaria, We Need DD21st Century, Fall-Winter.http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/2006_

ticles/Donald_Roberts.pdf9. Marjorie Mazel Hecht, 2002. Bring Back DDT, and Science With It. 2

Century, Summer 2002 http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articlsumm02/DDT.html

10. Duke University, 2004. Duke Pharmacologist Says Animal Studies DEETs Brain Effects Warrant Further Testing and Caution in Human Ushttp://www.dukehealth.org/HealthLibrary/News/5500/

11. Zainulabeuddin Syed and Walter F. Leal, 2008. Mosquitoes Smell and Avthe Insect Repellent DEET. PNAS Early Edition,http://entomology.ucdaedu/news/deet321.pdf

12. Marjorie Mazel Hecht, 2006. WHO Backs DDT Use to Stop Malaria. Exetive Intelligence Review, Sept. 29.http://www.larouchepub.com/other/203339who_oks_ddt.html
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