QUESTION Has the geographic range of malaria increased over the past 20 - 30 years? I have read that preventative measures have helped lower rates of infection, but I'm interested in the extension of the range itself. ANSWER That is a very interesting question, and one that garners quite a lot of debate. Preventative measures have actually also helped to limit the range of malaria … [Read more...]
Epidemiology of Malaria
QUESTION: Epidemology of malaria ANSWER: I'm afraid that without a bit more detail in the question, it is difficult to answer - there are many facets to the epidemiology of malaria, from the distribution of the disease globally to its prevalence in different age and risk groups among human populations. Human migration and movement can also play a large role in the epidemiology of malaria, … [Read more...]
Cases of Malaria
QUESTION: What are reasons for the increasing number of cases of malaria? ANSWER: As I recently wrote in answer to another Q&A post, it is difficult to determine whether cases of malaria are indeed increasing or not. For one, a large number of cases are not reported every year, making accurate estimates difficult. Secondly, the world's population is growing, and it is growing at the … [Read more...]
Malaria in Southern United States
QUESTION: Why is there not a prevalence of malaria in the southern United States when we are bitten almost daily by the "little beasts?" ANSWER: Malaria once was relatively common in the southern United States. Transmission used to be possible due to the favorable climatic conditions for the development both of the mosquito as well as the malaria parasite. Huge advances in the control and … [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...]
Climate Change Brings Increased Malaria Threat to Tanzania Highlands
Tanzania’s southern highlanders have long worried about pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses brought on by the cool, wet weather. But as climate change contributes to warmer temperatures in the region, residents are facing a new health threat: malaria. … [Read more...]