Question: Is Malaria a contact disease between individuals? Answer: The short answer is no. Malaria cannot be transmitted from person to person; it is transmitted via the bite of infected mosquitoes. The only exceptions are between a mother and her unborn child (the malaria parasite can pass across the placenta during pregnancy, causing a condition known as "congenital malaria" in the baby) and … [Read more...]
How easily is malaria passed between humans?
QUESTION Can malaria be passed between humans if one has a bloody nose or if sex tears the vagina and a small bleed occurs? ANSWER It is extremely unlikely malaria would be transmitted via transfer of small amounts of blood. The only documented examples of direct transmission of malaria between humans is during blood transfusion, organ donation and from a mother to her unborn child, all … [Read more...]
Malaria Transmission by Contact?
QUESTION If you come in contact with someone who has had malaria can you get it from them? ANSWER No. It is not transmissible directly between people. Most transmission of malaria occurs when a mosquito infected with the malaria parasites bites someone, who then may get malaria. In some cases, transfers of organs or large quantities of infected blood (such as during blood transfusion) may … [Read more...]
At what age can you get malaria?
QUESTION What age do you get malaria? ANSWER Malaria is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, and therefore any one living where malaria is present, at any age, is susceptible. To prevent malaria, sleep under a long-lasting insecticide treated bednet; make sure it is re-dipped in insecticide every year or so to maintain its efficacy. The mosquitoes which transmit malaria … [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...]
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...]
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...]
Hereditary Malaria
QUESTION Can malaria be passed on through heredity? ANSWER In the vast majority of cases, malaria is only transmitted via the bite of an infected mosquito. However, if a pregnant woman becomes infected with malaria, she can pass the parasite to her unborn child via the placenta, or via blood transfer during childbirth. An infection in a newborn child, caused by infection in the mother … [Read more...]