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WHAT IS IT?

Malaria is known as a vector-borne illness. If a female mosquito feeds on a malaria-infected human, the malaria parasite (of the genus Plasmodium) is carried in its body, where it grows and matures.

When the infected mosquito bites another person, it passes this parasite through its saliva, into the bloodstream, infecting them.

If infected, initial symptoms will appear 7-15 days after the bite, and include:
  • fever
  • headache
  • chills
  • vomiting
Malaria can infect anyone, however children and pregnant women are the most susceptible to possibly dying from the disease.

The parasites then travel to the liver, where they multiply and mature until they escape once more into the bloodstream. The mature parasites infect more blood cells and cause them to degrade, while the parasite itself multiplies and continues to infect its host, causing the fever and symptoms related to malaria.

WHERE DOES IT OCCUR?

Malaria is endemic to 97 countries worldwide.

Generally in the tropical and subtropic regions of the world, where mosquitoes can thrive.

Explore the map below to find out which places are affected.

But 90% of deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Legend: Malaria Cases by Country 2012

Countries affected by Malaria

Legend: Malaria Cases by Country 2012

0
48,000,000

Why? Areas in Africa are the most affected due to a combination of factors:
  • The warm weather conditions allow for transmission to occur year-round
  • Scarce resources and socio-economic instability have hindered efficient malaria control activities.
  • The dominant parasite species in the area is Plasmodium falciparum, which is the species known to most likely cause a severe form of malaria.

METHODS OF PREVENTION

Malaria is curable, but treatment needs to be prompt and accessible. This can be a problem in some remote areas of Africa. In these cases, malaria PREVENTION is key.

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITN) are simply a form of personal protection from mosquitoes, and is often the first line of defence against contracting Malaria. They are hung over beds at night, and offer a protective physical barrier for the user, as well as a chemical barrier that repels and kills mosquitoes. In recent years, ITNs have been drastically improved to maintain their insecticidal treatments for up to five years. These enhanced nets are known as Long-Lasting Insecticide-treated Nets (LLINs) and are the preferred ITN of choice.

When ITNs are used properly by at least 3/4 of the community: malaria transmission is reduced by 50%, child deaths are reduced by 20%, and the mosquito population could fall by 90%!

Indoor residual spraying

Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) involves the spraying of mosquito-repellant insecticides inside homes and buildings to repel and/or kill mosquitoes when they enter and land on these surfaces. IRS is effective for around 3-6 months, depending on the insecticide used and the surface on which it is sprayed. In some cases, DDT, the most well-known and well-used form of IRS, can last for 9-12 months.

IRS has seen recent success in South Africa - where it has helped reduce malaria cases by 80%!

Antimalarial medicines

Antimalarial medicines, also known as 'antimalarials', are often taken by travellers (who have not built up any immunity) and those who are at particular risk (such as children and pregnant women). These are less popular than other conventional methods, due to the risk that overusing them may cause the malaria parasite to grow resistant to the drugs.

Other Methods

In addition to these preventative tools, it's also effective to try to hinder the growth of mosquito populations. For example, removing areas of standing water before mosquitoes have a chance to breed and lay eggs will help reduce their population sizes.

GLOBAL PROGRESS: WHAT HAS/WILL BEEN DONE?

In recent years...

Malaria mortality rates have been estimated to have decreased by 45% globally, between 2000 and 2012. The primary means of elimination of the disease is through prevention, and many efforts have gone towards ensuring risk populations are well stocked with ITNs, LLINs, and other preventative measures.

In terms of the future...

As stated on the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP), the worldwide rate of malaria mortality and morbidity is aimed to be reduced by 75%. Additionally, surveillance methods will also try to be improved; since there could possibly be many other untracked cases of malaria that can provide useful data for malaria control and elimination.

Legend: Malaria Cases by Country 2012

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48,000,000

Click on a malaria-affected country above.

Despite our progress, malaria remains a worldwide challenge.

In 2012, there were still 207 million people suffering from malaria, of which about 627,000 died.

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According to WHO estimates, every minute, a child dies from Malaria.

   

For more information on Malaria, visit these sources:

World Health Organization (WHO) - Factsheet

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

WHO - 2013 Annual Malaria Report

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Unicef in Action - Malaria

NetsForLife Africa

Against Malaria Foundation