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...]
Areas Where Malaria Occurs
QUESTION Can you please tell me the high, low and no risk areas for malaria. ANSWER Malaria requires certain climatic conditions, both for its own development as well as for the survival of its vector mosquitoes. As such, malaria transmission is concentrated in lowland areas of the tropics, where there is sufficient freshwater for mosquito breeding. However, malaria can also seasonably be … [Read more...]
Malaria Socio-Economic Issues
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 Host Range
QUESTION What are the Host range? ANSWER Malaria is caused by a parasite, of the genus Plasmodium, which requires two organisms for the completion of its life cycle—an insect, which is usually referred to as the "vector," in which sexual reproduction occurs, and a vertebrate "host," in which asexual multiplication occurs. Different species of Plasmodium infects a large range of … [Read more...]
Distribution of Malaria
QUESTION Where does malaria mostly take place? ANSWER Malaria is mainly transmitted in tropical regions of the world; while some transmission does occur outside of the tropics, it tends to be seasonal in these areas (i.e. usually only during periods of high temperature/high rainfall). Within the tropics, malaria is found on all continents, though the highest number of cases is in Africa, … [Read more...]