August 24, 2000
WHO Says Malarial Mosquitoes Hitching Rides on Planes
By Geir Moulson, The Associated Press

Geneva - The World Health Organization urged governments and 
airlines Monday to be alert to the danger of malarial mosquitoes 
hitching a ride as air travel to far-flung destinations becomes 
more widespread.     
	Resulting cases of airport malaria in such places as Europe 
or North America can be dangerous because doctors rarely have 
reason to suspect it and may diagnose it too late, according to a 
WHO study.    
	Between 1969 and 1999, 89 malaria cases were reported among 
people living close to airports in countries where malaria is not 
endemic, the report said. At least five died, while milder cases 
probably have escaped detection.     
	France led with 26 cases, followed by Belgium with 17 and 
Britain with 14. Both Paris and Brussels have frequent arrivals 
from West and Central Africa. North America has reported four 
cases since 1987.     
	Adequate measures are being taken, but as soon as things 
slip a little bit, cases can occur again, said William 
Cocksedge, one of the WHO authors of the report.     
	WHO commissioned the study to determine whether measures by 
many countries to prevent mosquitoes from traveling notably the 
spraying with insecticide of aircraft arriving from tropical 
countries remain necessary.     
	 We can't say it's going away because travel is increasing, 
and travel is increasing to areas that weren't necessarily 
accessed before, Cocksedge said. WHO hopes to carry out further 
studies to find alternatives to spraying cabins full of 
passengers, he said.     
	Experts say there's nothing in the spray in those amounts 
that would be a concern, he said.  That's not to say that some 
people aren't bothered.      
	The study pointed to a need to improve spraying, for 
instance to ensure the insecticide reaches overhead luggage 
lockers. It stressed that only a tiny minority of insects find a 
host and favorable conditions on their arrival in colder 
climates.     
	More than 2,000 mosquitoes likely were imported into France 
in a three-week period in 1994 when six cases of airport malaria 
were diagnosed near Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, it said.     
	It also cited five cases of malaria near Luxembourg between 
1997 and 1999 among people who had been nowhere near countries 
where the disease is endemic.     
	Drugs and insecticides have made malaria rare in developed 
countries, but in tropical, developing nations, it sickens 300 
million to 500 million people every year and kills at least 1 
million. WHO aims to halve malaria deaths by 2010.     
	Concerns over unwanted insect passengers on airlines spread 
beyond malaria. Authorities in some European countries asked 
whether they should consider spraying aircraft from New York 
after last year's outbreak of West Nile fever, Cocksedge said. 
WHO advised against spraying.