QUESTION Please show parasites pictures. ANSWER The first plate below shows various stages of the life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly form of malaria, and the most commonly found type in sub-Saharan Africa. Below that, a similar plate shows a series of images of Plasmodium vivax, the most widespread type of malaria. A: The stages of P. falciparum. 1: Normal red cell; … [Read more...]
Malaria Distribution
QUESTION What countries have malaria? ANSWER Prior to the advent of modern methods for controlling malaria, it was present on every continent in the whole except Antarctica. The transmission of malaria depends on an appropriate climate, both for the development of the parasite and the mosquitoes that it requires as a vector. This limits malaria to areas that are sufficiently warm and with … [Read more...]
Transmission of Malaria
QUESTION Why can the malaria parasite be transmitted from mosquito to human, but not from human to human (via blood)? ANSWER This is a very good question, and actually, malaria can be transmitted via human blood directly to another person, but this occurs relatively rarely! It has to do with the life cycle of the malaria parasite. When a mosquito bites a human host, it injects … [Read more...]
Which Anti Malarial for South-East Asia?
QUESTION We are in our 70s and will be on a cruise from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh. Which anti malarial would be most effective for these areas? ANSWER The main thing to consider when travelling to south-east Asia is that there are areas where some of the malaria is resistant to mefloquine (commonly sold as Lariam), and therefore this drug is not appropriate as an anti-malarial in these … [Read more...]
Malaria Mosquito
QUESTION Which mosquito causes malaria? ANSWER It is important to note that mosquitoes do not CAUSE malaria—the disease itself is caused by microscopic, single-celled animals called Plasmodium. These Plasmodium parasites live and reproduce inside the mosquito, and when the mosquito bites a person, the parasites are transferred into that person's blood via the mosquito's saliva. If … [Read more...]
Causes of malaria
QUESTION: What are the causes of malaria? ANSWER: Malaria is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. These are single-celled animals known as protozoans (from the Greek 'protos' and 'zoia' which together mean 'first animal') and they are transmitted via mosquitoes that feed on blood; the parasites need both mosquito and human hosts to complete their life cycle (see below a graphic of … [Read more...]
Screening Mosquito House Entry Points as a Potential Method for Integrated Control of Malaria
Partial mosquito-proofing of houses with screens and ceilings has the potential to reduce indoor densities of malaria mosquitoes. We wish to measure whether it will also reduce indoor densities of vectors of neglected tropical diseases. Methodology: The main house entry points preferred by anopheline and culicine vectors were determined through controlled experiments using specially … [Read more...]