The treatment and control of parasitic diseases

In many parts of world, transmission of malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum can no longer be controlled by insecticides. Furthermore, this species has developed an amazing capacity for resistance to polyvalent drugs. The advent of new drugs and the possibility of developing a vaccine offer some hope for control of falciparum malaria. The fact that the spread of many parasitic diseases is promoted by contaminated water supplies resulting from inadequate waste disposal raises important questions about the relevance of current research. The control of some endemic infections, like Chagas' disease, would be better served by delivery of available technology than by improved science education. Discovery of means to promote self-help programs in rural communities will be an important aspect of research in disease control in the future.