Down with Mosquitoes and Malaria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Down with Mosquitoes and Malaria - Essay Example However, these areas mainly act as mosquitos’ breeding site and therefore people living in around such areas have been found to be the most affected by malaria cases. Several methods such as use of spraying insecticides and depositing pesticide chemicals in water bodies have been used in the past. However, since these methods are not environmental friendly the need to develop other methods of fighting malaria is imminent. In the modern day there has been some advancements such as use of surfactants among other chemical methods. Surfactants are mainly used in water catchment areas to prevent mosquito breeding. Surfactants comprise of elements that are both soluble and insoluble in water hence the ability to diffuse in water. Furthermore, surfactants adsorb between air and water molecules or molecules of two mixed liquids such as water and oil. This aspect of adsorption forms the basis of using surfactants to prevent mosquito breeding due to the ability to form emulsifications. Surfactants reduce the surface tension of between liquids and or between a liquid and a solid. As a result they can be used in mosquito breeding areas since reduced surface tension makes the mosquitos to drown. Additionally surfactants are organic therefore they do not cause environmental pollution and can hence be considered an efficient method of preventing mosquito breeding. However, use of surfactants in large quantities may have negative environmental effects hence their use is relatively restricted. Some common examples of surfa ctants are detergents and medicinal lotions. In addition, researchers have come up with a way of suing heparin to fight malaria. This process involves reducing activity of PfEMP1,which facilitates binding of uninfected RBCs by infected RBCs, by using heparin since it engulfs the infected cells hence preventing the binding.. When red blood cells (RBCs) are infected by malaria parasites they cling to the walls of blood vessels allowing these parasites to