QUESTION What are the socio-economic issues on the spread of malaria? ANSWER Malaria transmission requires the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes; as such, conditions which favor the growth and persistence of these mosquitoes will also be hotspots for malaria transmission, provided the climate is also sufficiently warm for the development of the parasite within the mosquito. Rural areas … [Read more...]
Malaria in Hong Kong and China
QUESTION Is malaria a risk in Hong Kong and Southern China? ANSWER There is no reported malaria transmission in Hong Kong, nor in the provinces directly bordering it in southern China. However, there is some risk of malaria in other parts of southern and central China, notably in the provinces of Anhui, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Yunnan, though rare cases may also be observed in … [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...]
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...]
Malaria in Africa
QUESTION Why do Africans catch malaria more than others? ANSWER There are a number of reasons why malaria is more widespread in Africa than in many other parts of the world. However, it is worth mentioning that other parts of the world, such as India and south-east Asia, also have very high prevalence of malaria, especially in rural areas. The high transmission of malaria is Africa is … [Read more...]