MALARIA MOSQUITOS

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1929, Page 12

MALARIA MOSQUITOS

SOUTHWARD TREND NOTICED POSITION OF NEW ZEALAND. POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCTION. “The introduction into New Zealand of malaria-infected mosquitoes is by no means a remote possibility,” said Mr. W. JR. AlcGregor, lecturer in zoology at the Auckland University College, in an address to members of the Auckland Institute recently. “Were they introduced, the general conditions of the climate, particularly in the northern part of the Auckland province, would probably be very favourable for their multiplication.”

Mr. AlcGregor, who recently returned from a research visit to New Guinea referred to the ferocious nature of the insects in that country. Practically every white man suffered from malaria at one time or other. When the lecturer travelled on a ship from New Britain southward, live anophelines (malaria carrying mosquitoes) were caught just before arrival at Norfolk Island. It was not an uncommon occurrence to find these mosquitoes in the cabins of ships, long distances from their natural habitat. In colder latitudes they appeared sleepy, but evidently possessed sufficient vitality to take a meal of blood if they once found themselves ashore. It had been the general experience that malaria and kindred diseases tended to follow the trade routes.

There had been a gradual spread of malaria down the coast of Queensland and into Northern New South Wales. Dengue fever, which was also distributed by mosquitoes, was already an epidemic both in Queensland and in northern parts of New South Wales. New Zealanders were apt to consider their country immune, but there was a definite possibility that malaria could be introduced.

Mr. McGregor gave particulars of the megarine mosquito, which fed on the larvae of other varieties. The Hawaiian Sugar-planters’ Association was endeavouring to obtain shipments of the larvae of these mosquitoes from New Quinea for liberation in Hawaii. It was hoped’ that these would eat out the ordinary mosquito which infested the low-lying lands there. It had been established that the megarines did not feed on blood. It would be interesting to know the results of the shipments.