Review of "A Finding on Malaria Comes From Humble Origins"

Claudia Nagy 9.29
Chem 2 H/ Block D Even Mr. Ippolito

Jr. McNeil, Donald "A Finding on Malaria Comes From Humble Origins" New York Times~. 28 Sept 2010. sec D: 5-6

This article by Donald McNeil Jr. explains how Dr. Beatrice H. Hahn has discovered that one of malaria's most deadly strains actually originated from gorillas, and not chimps as previously thought. As a virologist, Dr. Hahn has been collecting great ape skate for ten years, accumulating 2,700 samples. She specializes in malaria was well as S.I.V (Simian immunodeficiency virus), the antecedent of HIV in humans. The samples are put into a solution called RNAlater which preserves the cells's nucleic acids. This leaves reveals not only the diet of the ape, but the cells that are scraped from their gut lining, which include all of the substances that make them ill. Though this new knowledge of malaria's gorilla origin will not lead to a new pharmaceutical success, it is reassuring to know that the human strain of the disease probably crossed species about a thousand years ago, showing that if malaria is every completely irradiated it will never occur again at the cause of apes. It was previously thought that chimpanzees were the original catalysts for malaria's most deadly strain, the falciparum due to the fact that they are human's closest relative. It was never known that gorilla's were the true initiators because the few gorillas tested were those kept in human captivety, and they often had the same strains humans near by had. With new samples that come from wild gorilla's skat, it has been shown that the virus actually originated in chimps. Dr Hahn retrieves the samples by tracking groups of bonobos or gorillas until they nest for the evening. In the morning, she returns and collects the samples that are left in the often obsolete nests, maintaining as little contact with the animals as possible.

I chose this article because it is important to society and relates to chemistry. Malaria is a deadly disease that kills millions of innocent people a year, though there are plenty of drugs and immunization methods that could be implemented to prevent its spread and effects. Malaria is particularly common in parts of Africa because of its climate, which facilitates armies of hungry mosquitoes, who are inevitably carriers of the disease. It is so hard to treat malaria in parts of Africa for three main reasons. Immunization is expensive for many people in those parts of the world, thus more people are likely to become infected. Additionally, it is difficult to avoid mosquito bites, those of us who live state side have problems avoiding them even in our front yards. And though most mosquito bites could be easily avoided with mosquito nets or repellent, those luxuries are also scarce in parts of less developed countries. Finally, the sheer number of those infected with malaria is so high, that hospitals have trouble treating those who have already been admitted, let alone new patients who require care everyday. This article relates to chemistry in many ways. Chemistry was used to preserve skat samples and ascertain their composition, as well as their relation to malaria. Chemistry was also used to discovery malaria vaccines and treatments which have saved many lives to this day.

The article was formal and informative, which in scientific essays is both pleasant and obligatory, however the article was lacking in the most fundamental component of scientific essays, which was scientific evidence. There was little explanation of the science of malaria, its chemical composition, how it worked, or how it was spread from gorillas and not chimps as previously thought. It seemed somewhat loquacious, yet lacked any real substance with which to prove its important points. It also focused predominately on Dr. Hahns, who though is surely an interesting individual, is not the subject of the essay.