Locally transmitted malaria in the US could be a harbinger of rising disease risk in a warming climate – 5 questions answered

Some evidence suggests that malaria mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides. Paul Starosta/Stone via Getty Images

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on June 26, 2023, that five cases of locally transmitted malaria had been identified – four in Florida and one in Texas – since May 2023. These are the first cases of locally acquired mosquito-borne malaria in the U.S. since 2003.

The Conversation spoke with Dr. Rajiv Chowdhury, a global health expert from Florida International University, about the significance of these cases and why they’re appearing now.