For centuries, bubonic plague devastated the populations of three continents. Today, thanks to early treatment that can decrease the mortality rate from 90 percent to 15 percent, bubonic plague is far less prevalent than other infectious diseases. Only a few thousand cases of human plague are reported each year worldwide. This demonstrates that proper understanding of disease transmission can lead to effective control strategies.

In this video, learn about a disease for which nearly half the world's population is at risk and that kills an estimated 650,000 people each year. From an epidemiologic perspective, the basics of malaria are well known. Malaria is not spread from person to person like a cold or the flu is. Rather, a mosquito transmits disease parasites to a human. Still, the challenge is to find effective control strategies. As you watch, consider the different types of solutions being developed for management of this disease. Click on the left to watch the video.

Compare and contrast the two types of solutions to the malaria problem: medical (medicine) and technological (mosquito nets). Which seems a more promising solution to this health crisis?

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