QUESTION What is Malaria? ANSWER Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Transmitted by mosquitoes, there are several different kinds of malaria distributed throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, causing somewhere between 300-500 million cases of disease each year, and as many as 1 million deaths. In fact, malaria is one of the biggest … [Read more...]
Malaria in Africa
QUESTION Why do Africans catch malaria more than others? ANSWER There are a number of reasons why malaria is more widespread in Africa than in many other parts of the world. However, it is worth mentioning that other parts of the world, such as India and south-east Asia, also have very high prevalence of malaria, especially in rural areas. The high transmission of malaria is Africa is … [Read more...]
Malaria Deaths in the Tropics
QUESTION What's the difference of malaria deaths between the subtropical and tropical regions and all the other regions? ANSWER I am assuming you are asking about the distribution of deaths caused by malaria between the tropics/sub-tropics and the rest of the world. 95% percent of all fatal malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, which lies entirely in the sub-tropics and tropics. … [Read more...]
How to Control Malaria
QUESTION Suggestions to control malaria? ANSWER This answer is copied from an earlier question asking about strategies for controlling malaria in Africa. The methods below are being used by many health ministries, international agencies and non-governmental organisations to combat malaria all over the world (and not just in Africa). Currently, malaria control is based on a combination … [Read more...]
What is Malaria?
QUESTION What is it? ANSWER I have copied the below answer from an earlier question also asking what malaria is: Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Transmitted by mosquitoes, there are several different kinds of malaria distributed throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, causing somewhere between 300-500 million cases of disease … [Read more...]
how can malaria affect our society?
QUESTION how can malaria affect our society? ANSWER There are many ways in which malaria can potentially affect our society, and particularly people living in highly endemic areas for transmission. Most obviously, malaria has a huge burden on health services, as sick people require diagnosis, treatment and sometimes hospital care. These days of illness prevent people from going to work … [Read more...]
Malaria Vaccine
QUESTION For how long does this vaccine work? ANSWER There is not yet a commercially available vaccine against malaria. Recently, results were published (in the New England Journal of Medicine - press releases and news reports about the study are available through the main page of www.malaria.com) presenting preliminary findings of the first Phase 3 clinical trial for a vaccine, called … [Read more...]
How to Prevent Malaria
QUESTION How to prevent malaria? ANSWER Despite its wide geographic range and potentially severe consequences, there are actually several effective strategies for controlling malaria, many of which have been successful of reducing the burden of the disease, and especially the number of deaths, in various regions. The first step towards control is prevention. This has largely been … [Read more...]
Epidemiology of Malaria
QUESTION: Epidemology of malaria ANSWER: I'm afraid that without a bit more detail in the question, it is difficult to answer - there are many facets to the epidemiology of malaria, from the distribution of the disease globally to its prevalence in different age and risk groups among human populations. Human migration and movement can also play a large role in the epidemiology of malaria, … [Read more...]
What can I do to help?
QUESTION: What is there I can do to help them? ANSWER: Thank you for your concern! Probably the easiest and most direct way you can support the people suffering from malaria infections, especially in the developing world, is by helping to spread awareness about the impact of the disease and how it affects millions of people worldwide. To help with these campaigns, you can also donate … [Read more...]