Malaria is a disease we hear about and often assume it a disease of the past, not affecting many today. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. In many parts of the world malaria is a very active disease and in some countries is actually the leading cause of death.
In Africa, one child dies every 30 seconds from Malaria
Approximately 90% of Malaria related deaths are reported from the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. Each year 350 to 500 million cases of malaria occur world-wide, and over one million people die, most of them young children.
Malaria disease depends mainly on climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall and humidity. Areas where these diseases are found are Africa, India, south America etc. malaria is transmitted in tropical and subtropical regions where the host mosquito of the family Anopheles can survive and multiply. There are about 430 Anopheles species but only 30 to 40 of this species transmit malaria parasite.
This mosquito carries the parasite infected blood it has extracted from an infected blood and transmits it to the next person when it bites the person but only in areas where the parasite can complete its growth cycle can human be infected. There are about three species of malaria parasite which includes: plasmodium, malariae, falciparum etc. The time require for development of the parasite in the mosquito is about 10 – 21 days depending on the paracitic specie and temperature.
Malaria being caused by a parasite which has the mosquito as its host have the following symptoms: fever, headaches, sweating, muscle ache and dizziness. It can also cause vomiting and yellowing color of skin and eye due to the loss of red blood cell. When Infected with the parasitic specie like falciparum it might not be easily treated. This can cause kidney failure, mental problems, Coma and death.
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