Posts Tagged ‘Malaria’

Algae may be key to Malaria and/or Cholera

Washington: Biologists at UC San Diego demonstrated last May that algae can be engineered to produce a vaccine that blocks malaria transmission. The result – the mice developed Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies to both the malarial parasite protein and to a toxin produced by the cholera bacteria.

The study is published online in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology website at http://aem.asm.org.

Key facts

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
• In 2010, malaria caused an estimated 660 000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 490 000 to 836 000), mostly among African children.
• Malaria is preventable and curable.
• Increased malaria prevention and control measures are dramatically reducing the malaria burden in many places.
• Non-immune travellers from malaria-free areas are very vulnerable to the disease when they get infected.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, called “malaria vectors”, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn.

These little suckers transmit some nasty stuff…

Nearly one million people die of malaria every year, mostly infants, young children, and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. An estimated 50 to 100 million people contract dengue each year in over 100 countries. West Nile virus first emerged in the Western Hemisphere in 1999 in the New York City area and has since spread across the United States. The virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

Quote! ProBest Pest Management…

The number 1 Killer of Mankind = mosquitoes.

Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths. We’re helping the world get it done by engaging leaders, rallying the public, and delivering life-saving tools and education to families across Africa.

I remember the good ole days and Earth Day update…

So today is Earth Day, by the way ProBest will be at Chandler Environmental Center today 4pm – 7pm for an Earth Day celebration a day we are supposed to remember that we should be nice to Mother Earth! Now since we (ProBest Pest Management) spray chemicals daily you are probably thinking that I have lost my mind. So far from the truth say you -  Yoda (first reference ever to Star Wars in my blog). We try to practice each day some part of saving this place we live on – we recycle (City of Gilbert doesn’t or does, but won’t give us a bucket because someone might steal it), we recycle used cell phones and turn the money into a charity cause. ProBest is also very involved with PestWise EPA program as a Gold Member, we try to encourage people to home-seal and use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) daily to prevent unwarranted use of pesticides.

This article appeared in Business Day – “Insect Killers: Ignorance puts consumers in danger“. I remember the days when the product better smell or the customer thought we weren’t spraying anything. Sometimes those aerosols can contain various and not so healthy stuff. By the way you already know I don’t really like aerosols, not because they don’t work it’s that most often people people don’t understand how they work.

Please read and follow all label and MSDS directions.

Love your Job?

I absolutely love my job, now I guess I would rather not kill things but it must be done. Many folks might say it doesn’t have to be done but I argue as a Public Health Professional that it is imperative to control bugs and vermin. Malaria continues to kill 1 million people a year = mosquitoes and rodents either damage or contaminate food up to about 20% of food supplies throughout the world.

Case in point is this article (link here) – I think this story is an exception to the rule that all manufacturers allow filth and pests to run amock (I love that word). I have been in many manufacturing plants and 99.99% have always been clean and have safeguards in place to prevent contamination to food products. ProBest abides my the (AIB) American Institute of Baking rules as it pertains to warehousing and storage. Recently the (AIB) and the (NPMA ) National Pest Management Association teamed up to set consistent standards. ProBest Pest Management continues to complete testing to stay current with new standards and are certified QualityPro including Schools, GREENPRO and Food Protection.