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...]
Is Malaria Transmitted by Female Mosquitoes?
QUESTION Is malaria caused by only female mosquitoes? ANSWER Malaria is only transmitted by female mosquitoes, yes. This is because only female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles (the genus that transmits malaria in mammals, including humans) feed on blood, and the parasite that causes malaria (called Plasmodium) spends part of its life cycle in the blood. Therefore, when a female mosquito … [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...]
Malaria in South Africa
QUESTION What are the high, low and no-risk areas for malaria in South Africa? ANSWER Malaria has been successfully controlled in many parts of South Africa, with the result that most of the country is not at risk for malaria transmission. However, some pockets of higher risk remain in the north-eastern corner of South Africa (north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal, with the southern-most limit of … [Read more...]
Transmission of Malaria from Person to Person
QUESTION I was in Lagos, Nigeria and i was bitten. I had stomach ache and diarrhea for a day then back to normal. Just for precaution I checked my blood and the doc said that I have a mild malaria in my blood and he gave me a medicine. If i have malaria can I affect or transmit the malaria to other people like my friends or my wife by the saliva or by any means? ANSWER No, you cannot … [Read more...]
Malaria Hosts
QUESTION Which are malaria hosts and how does malaria have an effect on one of them? ANSWER The parasite which causes malaria (called Plasmodium) requires two different hosts—a vertebrate intermediate host, such as a human, and an insect definitive host, also known as the vector. For the types of malaria which infect humans and other mammals, the vector is always a mosquito of the … [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...]
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...]
Is Malaria a Mosquito STD?
QUESTION Is Malaria a type of STD for mosquitoes? ANSWER No. Mosquitoes pick up the malaria parasite from feeding on the blood of infected humans. Since only female mosquitoes feed on blood (the males feed on nectar), male mosquitoes never get infected with the malaria parasite. The life cycle of malaria in the mosquito is also completely different than in humans, and mosquitoes have a … [Read more...]
Malaria and Employees
QUESTION I have a domestic employee that has malaria. I also have a 1 year old baby at home. Is it safe to keep her in employ or should I grant her leave until she is fully recovered? ANSWER Malaria cannot be transmitted between people directly. It is transmitted via the bite of an infected mosquito. As such, the only way your baby could get malaria from your employee is if a mosquito bit … [Read more...]