Name: Can dogs sniff out malaria?
Uploaded: 2019-06-11T16:08:22Z
Duration: 18 min 19 s
Description: Each year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world die of malaria. Aided by a demo from Freya the malaria-sniffing dog, infectious disease researcher James Logan describes the role of scent in the spread of malaria and explains how dogs can help break that cycle.

James Logan: Can dogs sniff out malaria?

Can dogs sniff out malaria?

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world die of malaria. Aided by a demo from Freya the malaria-sniffing dog, infectious disease researcher James Logan describes the role of scent in the spread of malaria and explains how dogs can help break that cycle. 

Malaria continues to threaten half the world’s population, with a child dying every two minutes. Detecting symptomless carriers has stalled progress in fighting the disease, but research shows malaria changes body odor, making infected people more attractive to mosquitoes. Trained dogs can sniff out these subtle scent changes, correctly identifying malaria in humans by smelling worn socks. This breakthrough opens the door to new, non-invasive ways to diagnose and control malaria using the power of nature.