August 20th recognizes the day 115 years ago that British doctor Ronald Ross discovered the connection between mosquitoes and malaria transmission. Eventually the discovery would transform medicine and lead Dr Ross to a Nobel prize.
While we here are largely focused on West Nile in Texas right now, Malaria is still the largest killer of all mosquito born illnesses in the world. And there is still a great deal it teaches us about other diseases transmitted through the nasty critters.
Also See:
- Abuzz Over Malaria on World Mosquito Day (AlertNet/Reuters)
- Nothing But Nets (US-Based Campaign for Malaria)
- National School of Tropical Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine)