Malaria is spread by female mosquitoes carrying parasites called Plasmodium. As soon as a mosquito bites, the parasite is transferred into the body. The parasites multiply in the liver and then start infecting red blood cells.
Symptoms include:
- fever
- headache
- vomiting
- chills
- sweating
These symptoms become noticeable after ten to fifteen days.
Malaria is a current epidemic. There have been malaria epidemics since 2700 B.C. The people most likely to get malaria are young children in Africa and adult travelers. At present, the disease is mostly limited to Africa , Asia , and Latin America , even though at one time it was extremely widespread. In 1880, the malaria parasite was discovered. Approximately 30,000 adult travelers each year are infected with malaria.
Additionally, people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at a high risk for malaria due to their weakened immune systems. If not treated, malaria can be life-threatening because blood supply is cut to vital organs. In some parts of the world, the malaria parasites have developed immunity to many of the medicines used to treat the disease.
80% of people in Africa die around or before the age of 33 from malaria.
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Malaria: Description
