February 24, 2000

Warm Weather Not the Major Factor in Malaria Epidemics

Malaria was an important cause of illness and death in 16th and 17^th century England, during a period known as the "Little Ice Age."

ATLANTA—History shows that malaria was common in England and much of Europe until the end of the 19th century. It even flourished during a 150-year period called the "Little Ice Age," clear evidence that factors other than climate affect the spread of a disease seen today as "tropical," according to an article in Emerging Infectious Diseases, CDC's peer-reviewed journal, which tracks new and reemerging infectious diseases worldwide.

The world's climate is constantly changing. In the Middle Ages, temperatures in Europe were higher than they are now, but in the 16th century, bitter cold prevailed in a period known as the "Little Ice Age." During that period, malaria (then known as "ague") was common in England and most of Europe. It was described in detail by prominent physicians such as William Harvey and Thomas Sydenham and mentioned by many contemporary British authors, including Shakespeare and Defoe. Cinchona bark was first used to cure the disease in the marshes of Essex near London, in the late 1600s. The essential ingredient, quinine, is still in use.

Malaria continued to be a problem in Europe and North America well into the 20th century. Its decline after World War II came with DDT use. The Office of Malaria Control in War Areas, forerunner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was founded in 1942 to eliminate malaria from the United States. At that time, the disease still occurred in 36 states.

Today malaria is making a comeback in many parts of the world. Claims that this comeback is due to global warming overlook other important causes, such as population growth and movement, forest clearance, declining public health services, resistance to insecticides and antimalarial drugs, and disruptions from war and natural disasters.

For more information, contact Dr. Paul Reiter at 787-766-6596 (fax) or by e-mail at ipr1@cdc.gov

Click here to read the entire article,  From Shakespeare to DeFoe: Malaria in England in the Little Ice Age. 

For more information on this or related topics, see—

• Global Climate Change and Infectious Diseases
• Reemergence of Epidemic Malaria in the Highlands of Western Kenya
• Factors in the Emergence of Infectious Diseases
• Resurgent Vector-Borne Diseases as a Global Health Problem
• Changing Patterns of Autochthonous Malaria Transmission in the United States: A Review of Recent Outbreaks

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This page last reviewed February 24, 2000

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention