Malria

Introduction

Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted from one human to another by the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria is a mosquito-borne protozoal disease that is endemic throughout most of the tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. Malaria is diagnosed by detecting the parasites in blood. Malaria can also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn baby (congenitally) and by blood transfusions. Malaria from different Plasmodium species differs in severity, mortality, and geographic distribution. Malaria is prevalent in 75 per cent of the country, putting over 50 million people at risk (out of a countrywide population of 77 million). Malaria is common in Africa, Central and South America, the Mediterranean countries, Asia, and many of the Pacific islands. Malaria transmission rates can differ depending on local factors such as rainfall patterns (mosquitoes breed in wet conditions), the proximity of mosquito breeding sites to people, and types of mosquito species in the area. Malaria and its treatment remains a very controversial subject (many scientists and doctors remain in disagreements). Each year about 34,000 children under 5 years of age die from malaria and about 8 million outpatient malaria treatments are recoreded at health facilities. It has been estimated in a retrospective analysis that economic growth per year of countries with intensive malaria was 1. About a 1,000 of cases of malaria occur each year in the United States.

Conclusion

Malaria can cause many symptoms, the most common of which include fever, fatigue, chills, and many other flu-like symptoms. Malaria prevention requires preventing mosquito bites: eliminating mosquito breeding places and using insecticides or natural predators, window screens, netting, and insect repellent. Malaria can be carried by mosquitoes in temperate climates, but the parasite disappears over the winter. Malaria blood smears taken at 6 to 12 hour intervals confirm the diagnosis. Malaria’s health costs include both personal and public expenditures on prevention and treatment. Malaria control does not aim to eliminate malaria totally.