Research

How human practices have affected vector-borne diseases in the past: a study of malaria transmission in Alpine valleys

Julien Sérandour , Jacky Girel , Sebastien Boyer , Patrick Ravanel , Guy Lemperière and Muriel Raveton

Laboratoire Ecologie Alpine, UMR CNRS N°5553, Equipe Pertubations Environnementales et Xénobiotiques, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53X, 38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France

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Malaria Journal 2007, 6:115doi:10.1186/1475-2875-6-115

Published:	29 August 2007

Abstract

Background

Malaria was endemic in the Rhône-Alpes area of eastern France in the 19^th century and life expectancy was particularly shortened in Alpine valleys. This study was designed to determine how the disease affected people in the area and to identify the factors influencing malaria transmission.

Methods

Demographic data of the 19^th century were collected from death registers of eight villages of the flood-plain of the river Isère. Correlations were performed between these demographic data and reconstructed meteorological data. Archive documents from medical practitioners gave information on symptoms of ill people. Engineer reports provided information on the hydraulic project developments in the Isère valley.

Results

Description of fevers was highly suggestive of endemic malaria transmission in the parishes neighbouring the river Isère. The current status of anopheline mosquitoes in the area supports this hypothesis. Mean temperature and precipitation were poorly correlated with demographic data, whereas the chronology of hydrological events correlated with fluctuations in death rates in the parishes.

Conclusion

Nowadays, most of the river development projects involve the creation of wet areas, enabling controlled flooding events. Flood-flow risk and the re-emergence of vector-borne diseases would probably be influenced by the climate change. The message is not to forget that human disturbance of any functioning hydrosystem has often been linked to malaria transmission in the past.