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. 2021 Nov 29;106(1):33-37.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0747.

Mining-Associated Malaria Epidemics

G Dennis Shanks  1   2 , Chansuda Wongsrichanalai  3
Affiliations

Mining-Associated Malaria Epidemics

G Dennis Shanks et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Tropical alluvial gold and gem miners are often an especially at-risk population for malaria infection. Geographical areas of mining-associated malaria epidemics in the recent past include Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar); the Amazon basin (Brazil, French Guyana, Suriname, Columbia, and Peru); and tropical Africa. Mobile populations of young adult men engaged in the hard labor of mining may experience severe malaria especially if they lack preexisting immunity and are irregularly consuming antimalarial drugs. Particular problems occur because much of this informal mining activity is illegal and done in isolated areas without access to health services and with evidence of emerging antimalarial drug resistance. Concentrating vulnerable populations in an ecologically disturbed landscape is often conducive to epidemics, which can then spread as these highly mobile workers return to their homes. Mining-associated malaria endangers malaria elimination efforts and miners need to be addressed as a group of particular concern.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Defence Force or the US Department of Defence.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Gem miners washing soil to search for rubies and sapphires in Borai District, Trat Province, Thailand, in 1989. Photo credit: Malaria Division, Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Thai Ministry of Public Health (via Dr. Krongthong Thimasarn).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A temporary clinic setup by the Thailand Malaria Division to conduct malaria screening by blood smears among gem miners along the Thai–Cambodian border circa 1990. Photo credit: Malaria Division, Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Thai Ministry of Public Health (via Dr. Krongthong Thimasarn).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Gold mining activity in Huaypetue River in Madre de Dios region of Peru circa 2011. Photo credit: Dr. Juan F. Sanchez, Department of International Health of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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