Abstract
The ultimate assessment of the efficiency of malaria control is by the number of cases of malaria contracted in the controlled area, but a method that gives a more immediate and definite information is required because of the:—(i) Delay before the necessary information is obtained. For example, abandonment of larval control will not affect the number of malaria cases for more than a month;(ii) Shifting populations. People will come into the area and develop malaria acquired outside and conversely people having acquired malaria inside the area will go outside before developing it;(iii) Difficulty of distinguishing between relapses and newly acquired infections. The number of relapses has no connection with the efficiency of the control;(iv) Lack of cases of malaria despite infection in a predominantly immune community in which the non-immune persons are protected by suppressive drugs, mepacrine and quinine. This is a common condition in very malarious areas.

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