If Global Warming Continues, Could We Really Get A Resurgence Of Malaria In Britain?

Probably not, although nothing is certain where climate change is concerned.

In 1840, there were about 140 deaths from Malaria in Britain. This steadily declined with some bad years interspersed -- the death toll from malaria in 1860 was over 350. By 1910 the death toll had fallen to about 50, and has remained very low since. Most people in Britain (perhaps 52,000 new infections per year) who have the disease brought it with them from another country.

The real risk is whether the mosquitoes capable of carrying the parasite that causes malaria might start to breed again in this country.

Study of the past conditions when malaria was endemic in Britain, suggests that transmission of the disease is much less likely now due to land use changes: Wet marshes have been converted to cattle grazing and agriculture. The current frequency of new infections within Britain is virtually zero. It's thought that the risk of transmission might increase by about 10% (see source study), but a 10% increase of almost nothing is still, "almost nothing".

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Good point but with the temperature of the world heating up there will be a lot of diseases going round. I doubt that they will come round right now but in the future there is a strong possibility.

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It's possible, no doubt about it, but we won't have to deal with it. What we have to worry about is our grandchildren dealing with it. Anyway, the worst effects of global warming are 3 generations ahead of us.

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