In 2010, the World Health Organization revised guidelines to recommend diagnosis of all suspected malaria cases prior to treatment. There has been no systematic assessment of malaria test uptake for pediatric fevers at the population level as countries start implementing guidelines. We examined test use for pediatric fevers in relation to malaria endemicity and treatment-seeking behavior in … [Read more...]
Prevalence of Malaria
QUESTION how many people are affected by malaria in a year? ANSWER In the last year for which data have been analyzed (2010), there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria throughout the world. Of these cases, there were approximately 655,000 deaths, the majority of which were children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa. … [Read more...]
Is Malaria Fatal?
QUESTION Can you die from malaria? ANSWER Yes. If left untreated, certain types of malaria in particular can cause severe complications, and can even lead to death. Plasmodium falciparum is the most dangerous form of malaria and is responsible for 90% of the approximately 700,000 annual deaths caused by malaria. However, P. vivax infections can also be very serious, and more recently, … [Read more...]