QUESTION What is a malaria host range? ANSWER Usually, a malaria host range refers to the natural geographical range of one of the hosts of a particular species of malaria. So, for example, Plasmodium reichenowi normally only infects chimpanzees. Chimpanzees live mainly in central and western Africa, so this would determine the host range for P. reichenowi. Other species of malaria, such … [Read more...]
Mosquitoes Transmission via Feces
QUESTION Can a mosquito give you malaria after having being on an infected person's feces? ANSWER No. Malaria can only be transmitted via blood. As such, transmission via mosquitoes occurs when a mosquito feeds on the blood of an infected person, then bites someone who is not infected, and transfers the malaria parasite in the bite (this cannot happen straight away - the malaria parasite … [Read more...]
Ingestion of Malaria Blood
QUESTION If someone were to eat/ingest the blood of an infected individual would they become infected with malaria? If an infected person's blood was on their hands and they handled food, would eating the food put others at risk for malaria? ANSWER No, you would not get infected with malaria, as the malaria parasites must be transmitted into a person's blood directly in order for them to … [Read more...]
Malaria in Summer
QUESTION Does malaria only occur during summer season? ANSWER That depends on where you are. The transmission of malaria depends on the presence of the mosquitoes which are required to transmit the disease (they do this when they bite you). Many kinds of mosquito transmit malaria, though all are of the genus Anopheles. These different species have different climatic requirements, but … [Read more...]
Is Malaria Contagious Between Humans?
QUESTION If someone has malaria, is it contagious? ANSWER No. Malaria cannot be transmitted via touching or saliva or air. In virtually all cases, it is only transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, and so cannot be passed from one person to another. There are a few exception—because the parasite lives in certain organs and in the blood, it can sometimes be transmitted via … [Read more...]
Malaria: Mode of Transmission
QUESTION What is the mode of transmission of Malaria? ANSWER Malaria is transmitted normally via the bite of an infected mosquito. These mosquitoes, always female and of the genus Anopheles, carry malaria parasites in their salivary glands. The parasites, at this part of their life cycle known as sporozoites, are introduced into the host's blood when the mosquito takes a blood meal. From … [Read more...]
Discovery of Malaria
QUESTION Who was the discoverer of malaria? ANSWER Malaria has been known to humans since ancient times, though what exactly caused it and how it was transmitted was not known. The parasite which causes malaria, from the genus Plasmodium, was first observed in the blood of a patient who had died from the disease by Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a French physician working in Algeria. … [Read more...]
Causes of Malaria
QUESTION What are the causes of malaria? ANSWER Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and … [Read more...]
Malaria Transmission
QUESTION How is malaria transmitted? ANSWER Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they … [Read more...]
Malaria Effect on Host
QUESTION What is the effect of malaria on host? ANSWER In the human host, malaria can often make a person very sick, though the exact symptoms and severity of the disease depends on the type of malaria (five different kinds of malaria infect humans). Many people will have a high fever, chills, nausea and body aches. In a symptom very typical of malaria, a patient will experience cyclical … [Read more...]