Malaria
Quick Facts
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Cycle of malaria from mosquito to infection (3)
General description: Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness caused by one of four different kinds of parasites. There is currently no vaccine for the disease, and it hits hardest in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2010, an estimated 216 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 655,000 people died, most (91%) in the African Region. (1)
Specific causes: Humans can contract the malaria disease after being bitten by a malaria-parasite infected Anopheles mosquito. The parasite develops within the mosquito, and once a human is bitten the parasite migrates to the liver and multiples in the liver cells before spreading to the rest of the bloodstream. The growth and multiplication of the parasite occurs in red blood cells, and this is when clinical symptoms begin to show (4)
Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice. As the disease worsens, convulsions, coma, severe anemia and kidney failure may also occur. Without effective treatment, malaria can evolve into a severe cerebral form followed by death (4)
Treatment should be started as soon as the disease is diagnosed. The general treatment is through continuous intravenous infusion of several drugs which are active against the parasite forms. As in most cases, treatment depends on the type of infecting parasite (there are 4 that cause malaria), the area where the person was infected, their clinical status, any accompanying illness or condition, and patient circumstances (pregnancy, drug allergies, other medications). (5)
Specific causes: Humans can contract the malaria disease after being bitten by a malaria-parasite infected Anopheles mosquito. The parasite develops within the mosquito, and once a human is bitten the parasite migrates to the liver and multiples in the liver cells before spreading to the rest of the bloodstream. The growth and multiplication of the parasite occurs in red blood cells, and this is when clinical symptoms begin to show (4)
Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice. As the disease worsens, convulsions, coma, severe anemia and kidney failure may also occur. Without effective treatment, malaria can evolve into a severe cerebral form followed by death (4)
Treatment should be started as soon as the disease is diagnosed. The general treatment is through continuous intravenous infusion of several drugs which are active against the parasite forms. As in most cases, treatment depends on the type of infecting parasite (there are 4 that cause malaria), the area where the person was infected, their clinical status, any accompanying illness or condition, and patient circumstances (pregnancy, drug allergies, other medications). (5)
Around the World
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Where malaria transmission occurs throughout the world (2)
Who is affected: Malaria is among the leading causes of death in under-5-year-old children in Africa. There are an estimated 300-500 million cases of malaria, with over one million deaths each year, over 90% of which are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. Two-thirds of the remaining cases occur in Brazil, Colombia, India, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. (4)
In the US, about 1,500 cases of malaria are diagnosed are diagnosed every year. The majority of cases are from travelers returning from countries where malaria and malaria transmission is more common, including sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and forest fringe zones in South America. (1)
Where is the disease hurting people the most: These areas have more cases of malaria because they are tropical and subtropical countries with a good climate for mosquito-breeding. The availability of water is also important because the mosquitoes develop in different kinds of water bodies. However, with climate change, the altitude limits of malaria are moving higher so the disease is spreading to the East African highlands and Madagascar (4)
What is being done to fight disease/infection, both locally & globally: WHO's Strategy for Malaria Control has four main intervention procedures. The first is to reduce mortality by adopting early case-detection strategies and providing prompt treatment with effective drugs. The second goal is to promote the use of insecticide-treated net beds to children and pregnant women so that mosquitoes cannot bite them during the night when they are most active. In emergency situations, WHO wants to ensure early detection and control of malaria epidemics. Lastly, countries and communities are being encouraged to reduce mosquito breeding sites by filling in and draining unneeded water bodies. (4)
In 2005, President Bush introduced the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) which was designed to cut malaria deaths in half in certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Global Health Initiative announced by President Obama in 2009 expanded the PMI and other health programs to include 80 countries worldwide. PMI works with host country governments to expand existing national programs and make them more effective. These programs include increasing access to insecticide-treated nets, artemisinin-based combination therapies, intermittent preventive treatments for pregnant women, and indoor residual spraying with insecticide. (6)
In the US, about 1,500 cases of malaria are diagnosed are diagnosed every year. The majority of cases are from travelers returning from countries where malaria and malaria transmission is more common, including sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and forest fringe zones in South America. (1)
Where is the disease hurting people the most: These areas have more cases of malaria because they are tropical and subtropical countries with a good climate for mosquito-breeding. The availability of water is also important because the mosquitoes develop in different kinds of water bodies. However, with climate change, the altitude limits of malaria are moving higher so the disease is spreading to the East African highlands and Madagascar (4)
What is being done to fight disease/infection, both locally & globally: WHO's Strategy for Malaria Control has four main intervention procedures. The first is to reduce mortality by adopting early case-detection strategies and providing prompt treatment with effective drugs. The second goal is to promote the use of insecticide-treated net beds to children and pregnant women so that mosquitoes cannot bite them during the night when they are most active. In emergency situations, WHO wants to ensure early detection and control of malaria epidemics. Lastly, countries and communities are being encouraged to reduce mosquito breeding sites by filling in and draining unneeded water bodies. (4)
In 2005, President Bush introduced the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) which was designed to cut malaria deaths in half in certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Global Health Initiative announced by President Obama in 2009 expanded the PMI and other health programs to include 80 countries worldwide. PMI works with host country governments to expand existing national programs and make them more effective. These programs include increasing access to insecticide-treated nets, artemisinin-based combination therapies, intermittent preventive treatments for pregnant women, and indoor residual spraying with insecticide. (6)
Concept Questions
- What region is most affected by malaria? What about these areas allows for rampant spread of malaria?
- Have you noticed a trend among water-related diseases? If so, what is it and why do you think it is a common thread?
- What is the President’s Malaria Initiative? Do you think it is enough?
Sources
- "About Malaria." Malaria. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/index.html>.
- "Impact of Malaria." Malaria. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/impact.html>.
- "Malaria." Malaria. CIDP-USA, 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cidpusa.org/malaria.htm>.
- "Malaria." Water Sanitation Health. World Health Organization, 2001. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/malaria/en/>.
- "Malaria Treatment (United States)." Malaria. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 08 Feb. 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/diagnosis_treatment/treatment.html>.
- "President's Malaria Initiative (PMI)." Malaria. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 06 Jan. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/cdc_activities/pmi.html>.