Deforestation in the Amazon: This is how the risk of malaria rises quickly!

Deforestation in the Amazon: This is how the risk of malaria rises quickly!

- The spread of malaria in Brazil increases, which is related to the massive deforestation in the Amazon area.

In recent years, deforestation in the Amazon region in Brazil has led to alarming health consequences, especially with regard to the spread of malaria. A new study that examined data from 2003 to 2022 provides frightening insights: An increase in the monthly deforestation rate by just one percent leads to an average of 6.3 percent a month later. This result was presented by a research team from the USA and Brazil and published in the "Proceedings" of the US National Academy of Sciences.

The connection between deforestation and malaria is complex and varies from state to state in Brazil. However, the investigations clearly show that the destruction of the forests leads to an acute increase in malaria risks. Experts in the field of public health, including Burton H. Singer from the University of Florida and Marcia C. Castro from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, explain that the mosquito Nyssorhynchus Darlingi, which is responsible for the transfer of the disease, finds better conditions for your brood after deforestation.

breeding conditions for mosquitoes improve

The mosquito prefers breeding grounds that are shaped by clean and partially sunny water. A delightful mosquito field, if you will, can be found, for example, on the edge of sealed areas. Here is the probability that the insects will come into contact with people, which favors the spread of malaria. In the intact rainforest, on the other hand, such conditions are often missing, since the light is rarely sufficient there. This means that the natural habitats are strongly influenced by human activities and this has fatal consequences for the health of the population.

malaria remains one of the most feared infectious diseases worldwide. Every year, millions of people fall ill, and the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that an estimated 249 million people in 85 countries were affected in 2022. The disease often manifests itself through fever, headache and body aches as well as diarrhea, and if it remains untreated, it can be fatal. It is particularly worrying that children under the age of five must suffer from the many victims.

The knowledge about the connection between deforestation and the increasing malaria rate raises critical questions about the health consequences of the environmental degradation. The researchers emphasize that there is an urgent need to find a balance between economic interests and the protection of the rainforest. Due to increased accuracy of the measures against deforestation, not only biodiversity could be protected, but also preventing diseases such as malaria.

The situation in the Amazon area must be observed carefully, because every deforestation not only has local effects, but can also result in global health problems. The data of the study is a clear appeal for urgent need to understand and counteract the dangers of deforestation and their health consequences in order not to burden future generations with the consequences of our current decisions. A deeper analysis of this phenomenon offers the article on www.nordbayern.de .