QUESTION: How long has malaria been going on? ANSWER: The answer to your question depends on the kind of malaria as well as how exactly you define 'malaria'. The parasites which cause all forms of malaria, in humans as well as other mammals and birds, belong to a group called Plasmodium; scientists believe, based on genetic information, that this genus evolved around 130 million years … [Read more...]
How does malaria infect the body?
QUESTION: How does malaria infect the body? ANSWER: Malaria is transmitted to humans via certain species of mosquito. The parasite that causes malaria, called Plasmodium (there are several species, which cause slightly different forms of the disease), lives in the saliva of the mosquito and is introduced into the human blood when the mosquito bites through the skin. It is interesting to … [Read more...]
How did malaria start?
QUESTION: When did malaria happen? ANSWER: It is believed that Plasmodium, the parasite which causes malaria in a wide variety of animals, first evolved in reptiles. Even today, reptiles are infected by species of Plasmodium that are related to those that infect humans. The parasite probably then evolved to infect birds, and then, more recently, to infect mammals. Many mammals can be … [Read more...]
Reduce Risk of p.falciparum
QUESTION: I am laboratories man. My question is the risk of P. falciparum especially for mother and children is very high. How can we reduce this risk? ANSWER: That's a crucial question for malaria control. Certainly, as you say, the risk of severe malaria is much greater for young children and for pregnant women. As such, these high risk groups should be targeted during prevention … [Read more...]
How Many Types of Human Malaria?
QUESTION: How many types of malaria infect humans? ANSWER: There are four main types of malaria which infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale. P. ovale additionally can be split into two sympatric sub-species, P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri. Each of these five kinds has a subtly different life cycle which results in slight variations in symptoms and … [Read more...]
Seaweed May Hold Secrets to Fighting Malaria
A group of chemical compounds used by a species of tropical seaweed to ward off fungus attacks may have promising antimalarial properties for humans. The compounds are part of a unique chemical signaling system that seaweeds use to battle enemies – and that may provide a wealth of potential new pharmaceutical compounds. Using a novel analytical process, researchers at the Georgia … [Read more...]
Malaria Countries and Map
Geographic Distribution of Malaria Around the World Where malaria is found depends mainly on climatic factors such as temperature, humidity, and rainfalls. Malaria is transmitted in tropical and subtropical areas, where: Anopheles mosquitoes can survive and multiply Malaria parasites can complete their growth cycle in the mosquitoes ("extrinsic incubation period"). Temperature is … [Read more...]
Malaria Treatment
Malaria can be a severe, potentially fatal disease (especially when caused by Plasmodium falciparum) and treatment should be initiated as soon as possible. Patients who have severe P. falciparum malaria or who cannot take oral medications should be given the treatment by continuous intravenous infusion. Most drugs used in treatment are active against the parasite forms in the blood (the form … [Read more...]
A Research Agenda for Malaria Eradication: Drugs
Abstract: Antimalarial drugs will be essential tools at all stages of malaria elimination along the path towards eradication, including the early control or “attack” phase to drive down transmission and the later stages of maintaining interruption of transmission, preventing reintroduction of malaria, and eliminating the last residual foci of infection.Drugs will continue to be used to treat … [Read more...]
WHO’s World Malaria Report Shows Rapid Progress Toward Targets
A massive scale-up in malaria control programmes between 2008 and 2010 has resulted in the provision of enough insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) to protect more than 578 million people at risk of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Indoor residual spraying has also protected 75 million people, or 10% of the population at risk in 2009. The World Malaria Report 2010 describes how the drive … [Read more...]