QUESTION: (In conclusion to an earlier question regarding the seriousness of the disease and the way it is likely to affect population vigour if not controlled) - What can the community, the government, individuals (school children, parent, and teachers) do to improve the situation? ANSWER: The best way to improve the impact that malaria has upon populations afflicted by malaria is to … [Read more...]
Introduction of malaria
QUESTION: What is the introduction of malaria? ANSWER: Malaria is introduced into the human host via mosquitoes, who pass the parasite into the human blood stream through their mouthparts as they take a blood meal. Since the development of both the mosquito and the parasite are temperature-dependent, and tend to favour warm, humid conditions (mosquito larvae require pools of still water … [Read more...]
Treatment for malaria in Africa
QUESTION: What is the treatment for malaria in Africa? ANSWER: The appropriate form of treatment for malaria, regardless of where you are, depends on the type of malaria you have. This can be determined through diagnosis; each of the main malaria parasites that ordinarily infect humans (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale) looks slightly different under the microscope, … [Read more...]
How does malaria spread?
QUESTION: How does malaria spread? ANSWER: Malaria is a vector-borne disease; this means that it has to be spread through a "vector" species, which in this case are female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. The female mosquito needs to feed on blood in order to produce eggs; most species lay eggs every 2-3 days, which means each female mosquito needs to take very regular blood … [Read more...]
What is malaria? What Causes Malaria?
QUESTIONS: What is malaria? What causes malaria? ANSWER: I have copied below the text from an earlier question, also asking about the causes of malaria and explaining what it is: Malaria is a disease caused by a parasitic single-celled animal known as Plasmodium. There are different species of Plasmodium, which cause different kinds of malaria. The main types which infect humans … [Read more...]
Incidence of malaria in Quito, Ecuador
QUESTION: What is the number of cases of malaria reported in Quito, Ecuador? In 1940 was it a common problem? ANSWER: There is no transmission of malaria in Quito - it is at too high an altitude! Transmission of malaria in Ecuador is estimated to stop at around 1500m of altitude, and the central plaza of Quito, Plaza Grande, sits at almost 3000m! As such, even in 1940 malaria in Quito … [Read more...]
Key Malaria Scientists
QUESTION: I would like to know what key scientists are involved with the cure of Malaria. Thanks ANSWER: There are literally hundreds of scientists around the world who are all working on different aspects of curing malaria. The complexity of the life cycle of the parasite means that there are lots of different areas of potential research, and some scientists specialise very precisely on … [Read more...]
Are these malaria symptoms?
QUESTION: My daughter (10yrs) had high fever with chills till 4 days back but now she has low or no fever but feels cold at intervals & for that duration she is feeling giddy & vomittish. A little cough is also their . During this duration she is very uncomfortable & feels she has very high fever. Does all this reflect as malaria symptoms or it is some other problem. Please respond … [Read more...]
Malaria Treatment
QUESTION: What is the proper treatment for people with malaria symptoms? ANSWER: The proper treatment for malaria depends on the type of malaria parasite that the patient is infected with. Therefore, before treatment begins, the patient should be accurately diagnosed. In most cases of non-Plasmodium falciparum malaria (the most deadly form of malaria, found throughout the world but … [Read more...]
What is Malaria?
QUESTION: What is malaria? ANSWER: Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Transmitted by mosquitoes, there are several different kinds of malaria distributed throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, causing somewhere between 300-500 million cases of disease each year, and as many as 1 million deaths. In fact, malaria is one of the biggest … [Read more...]