Oct. 15, 2004 - 20:05 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Diogenes

Usually I am coming up with things I read about wherein wrong is being done to someone, somewhere that could be prevented from happening. Cruelty to man, discrimination and injustice, which is all happening to this day.

Always though I am being awe struck when something great happens or is on the way to happening.

Today's Rocky Mountain News has a column of wonderful news, too good to ignore, by far. It is by Emma Ross of the Associated Press

In part:

Scientists report advances in malaria war

Childhood shots can prevent some cases, cut severity of others

"LONDON -- Scientists have made important progress in the quest for a malaria vaccine, showing for the first time that childhood shots can prevent nearly one-third of cases and slash the risk of severe life-threatening attacks by almost two-thirds."

"Experts say the findings, outlined this week in The Lancet medical journal, provide robust evidence that the dream of developing a vaccine that will get babies through the most vulnerable period of infancy could become a reality by the end of the decade."

"Specialists agree that, at least for the foreseeable future there is no prospect of a vaccine that would wipe out malaria like the smallpox vaccine did for smallpox or even provide lifetime immunity."

"However, a vaccine that would turn the disease into a mostly mild infection would make a huge dent in the effort to control malaria, which kills a child every 30 seconds and poses a threat to half of all people on the planet. About 500 million episodes of malaria occur every year, mostly in the developing world. It is the leading killer of children under 5 in sub-Sharan Africa.

"We think a vaccine is important because as quick as you can make new drugs, there's resistance, and (delivery of) bed nets has not been as simple as one would have hoped," said Melinda Moree, director of the Malaria Vaccine Initiative, which backed the latest study. "We've been trying to apply our existing technologies, and the number of malaria deathis is rising. We need some new tools."

"The vaccine, which GlaxoSmithKline Bio has been developing for 20 years, was tested in 2,022 children 1 to 4 years old in Mozambique, where the mosquito-borne disease is endemic."

"After the children were treated with malaria drugs to get rid of any traces of the parasite, half got three shots of the malaria vaccine in three consecutive months, while the other half got other childhood vaccines."

"The children were followed up for about six months, and blood was taken every few weeks to check for malaria. Any new cases were immediately treated."

The researchers led by Dr. Pedro Alonso at the University of Barcelna, found infection in 30 percent fewer children in the vaccine group than in the comparison group. The vaccine also reduced the risk of getting sick by 30 percent, the risk of getting repeated attacks by 30 percent and the chance of developing severe malaria by 58 percent."

"Within the comparison group, four children died of severe malaria, while none of the children who got the vaccine died of malaria."

"The vaccine was most impressive in children under 2, to whom the disease is most dangerous. The vaccine reduced the number of severe malaria episodes by 77 percent."

"Malaria is caused by the parasite plasmodium falciparum, which is carried by mosquitos."

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Over the centuries scientists, medical people and shamans tried to solve the malaria problem. This time 20 years the scientists have been working on this vaccine. 20 years worth of money and time have been spent on trying to save - how many millions of people over the oncoming years ? Endemic is malaria in Mozambique, that is a huge area, I don't know the population but expect it to be vast.

On my first overseas trip for my company I was to be sent to Viet Nam, so received all the shots and so forth that the military got before I went over there. Also I was given the current medication to be taken daily to combat malaria. The only thing I really remember is that they told me one frequent side effect could mess up the eyes and I think that was permanent and irreversible. And I was told to be careful because the medicine was not 100 percent effective.

I remember reading in books how disease ridden that area of the world is and has been for many centuries. I have seen Saigon being called a pest hole port, ridden with all sorts of ailments, dengue fever, malaria and others relatedly severe.

There are some dedicated people in this world who devote their time, thought and effort while living under impossible situations -- other people who raise the money to keep the research going, some folks in officialdom permitting and encouraging research. It is a wonderful thing to hear such good news.

In my own limited way, I keep searching for good in life, occasionally finding out about some, I try and wonder where to speak when stumbling on miracles, but -- unfortunately, I am not Diogenes . . . . . . . . �

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