QUESTION Does the goverment help malaria? ANSWER Many governments around the world assist in controlling malaria. Some countries, like Australia and the United States, used to have malaria transmission occur within their own borders, but through dedicated control programs, have managed to eradicate the disease locally. In these cases, the government coordinated huge programs of draining … [Read more...]
Geographic Range of Malaria
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...]
Malaria in KwaZulu Natal
QUESTION How many people are infected by malaria in KZN? ANSWER By "KNZ" I assume you mean KwaZulu Natal (for the benefit of other readers, this is a region of South Africa, in the north-eastern portion of the country). KZN is one of the few parts of South Africa that experiences malaria transmission, though effective control measures have reduced its impact as a public health threat. … [Read more...]
Malaria Vaccine Research
QUESTION Is there any research to produce anti malaria vaccine, if not, why? ANSWER There are many teams of scientists working hard to try to produce a malaria vaccine. In fact, only last year, the preliminary results of a vaccine trial were published. The vaccine, called RTS,S, has been produced by GlaxoSmithKline and is in the midst of Phase III trials in Africa. The preliminary … [Read more...]
Malaria Transmission and Deaths in the United States
QUESTION How do you get malaria? How does malaria come to the United States? How many people have died from malaria? ANSWER Malaria is caused by infection with single-celled parasites called Plasmodium. There are five different species which infect humans; of these, Plasmodium falciparum is the most deadly. The Plasmodium parasites are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected … [Read more...]
What countries have malaria?
QUESTION In which countries can it be found? ANSWER Malaria is found in many parts of Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania. The exact distribution depends on climatic variables (namely heat and sufficient rainfall, for the development of the mosquitoes which transmit malaria) and also how successful a particular country or region has been at controlling malaria. For example, … [Read more...]
Pregnant Women and Malaria
QUESTION Why are pregnant women and children at the highest risk of getting malaria? ANSWER The reason why pregnant women and children are at greater risk of contracting malaria is due to their reduced levels of immunity. Children living in malarial areas have less immunity than adults because they have had less exposure to malaria, and so their immune systems have not had a chance to … [Read more...]
Malaria in Australia and Bali
QUESTION Is Australia, Bali or Tasmania in the malaria affected area? ANSWER While malaria used to be endemic in parts of Australia (not Tasmania—it is too cold), the country was declared to be free of malaria transmission in 1981. However, several hundred cases are reported in Australia every year, mainly brought back by travellers returning from other regions, such as south-east … [Read more...]
Does Malaria Still Exist?
QUESTION does malaria still exist? ANSWER Yes, malaria still exists, and is responsible for 250 million cases of illness every year, of which about 700,000 result in death. So it is a very serious global health problem! Some countries, such as the United States, have managed to successfully eliminate malaria through a combination of vector control strategies (i.e. spraying for … [Read more...]
How Many People Have Died from Malaria?
QUESTION How many people have died from this disease today? (2011) ANSWER Estimates for the number of annual deaths from malaria vary, and are not very accurate since they depend heavily on the quality of reporting. Since the majority of people who die from malaria are in sub-Saharan Africa, and often far from decent health facilities, it can sometimes be difficult to determine whether … [Read more...]