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Malaria's contribution to World War One - the unexpected adversary
1Clinical Division, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L35QA Liverpool, UK. b.j.brabin@liverpool.ac.uk.
Malaria Journal
|December 18, 2014
Summary
Malaria unexpectedly impacted World War I, infecting over 1.5 million soldiers. Despite existing knowledge, military forces were unprepared, leading to widespread epidemics and highlighting gaps in tropical medicine and malaria control.
Area of Science:
- Military History
- Tropical Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- World War I military forces underestimated malaria's impact.
- Existing knowledge on malaria transmission and control was not effectively applied.
- Fragmented historical, medical, and military documents hinder a comprehensive understanding.
Observation:
- Over 1.5 million soldiers were infected, with case fatality rates between 0.2-5.0%.
- Major malaria epidemics occurred in Macedonia, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Italy.
- Malaria control efforts were initially poorly organized and inconsistent.
Findings:
- Malaria spread rapidly due to troop movements and disrupted control measures.
- Sub-Saharan Africa saw high casualties among soldiers with limited control efforts.
- Quinine treatment was ineffective due to misdiagnosis of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infections.
Implications:
- World War I exposed significant gaps in tropical medicine and malaria knowledge.
- Late-war research laid the groundwork for future malaria control strategies.
- Malaria significantly weakened both Allied and Axis powers by 1918.
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