Malaria
A Global Health Problem
Jianyi Li
53071873
Public Health 1
2017
Dr. Zuzana Bic I. Public Health Problem
Malaria is a tropical disease transmitted through Anopheles mosquitos that carry the Plasmodium parasite. This disease exists as a public health problem because when bitten by an infected mosquito, the Plasmodium parasite can cause serious illness that, if left untreated, may lead to death. This is a health threat that affects approximately 212 million people and leads to the deaths of 429,000 people annually [2]. There are four major kinds of Malaria parasites that affects humans; Plasmodium Falciparum, P.Vivax, P.ovale, and P Malariae [2]. The most dangerous of the four, Plasmodium Falciparum, causes red blood cells to become
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Populations that are more susceptible to this illness includes children, pregnant women, HIV/AIDs patients and those who travel often [1]. These population groups are more prone to infection because they have lower immunity to the disease. Adults who have been exposed to the parasite before may develop naturally acquired immunity, which is why young children who has less exposure are more likely to be infected and to die from the disease [4]. In addition, people who travel often not only have a higher chance of becoming infected due to increased exposure to the parasite, but they may also bring the parasite to countries where Malaria has been eliminated. As a result, mosquitos that bites infected individuals may reproduce and spread the parasite to other people.
Though the number of deaths and rate of infection has decreased significantly within the past few years, with the incidence rate dropping 21% and mortality rate decreasing 29% between 2010 and 2015, Malaria remains a public health threat due to increasing drug resistance [2]. Because the Plasmodium parasite has a very short lifespan and reproduces rapidly, the rate of mutation in the parasite is very high, allowing it to quickly develop resistance to anti-Malarial drugs. One drug that has been used to treat Malaria effectively is Chloroquine. However, Chloroquine resistant Plasmodium
Background - Malaria is a water borne disease. It is spread by a parasite-carrying mosquito. It kills many people and reduces a country 's capacity to develop. There are different strategies to combat malaria. Around half the population is at risk of malaria and this disease is active in 106 counties across Africa, Asian and the Americas (see source 3). the global annual mortality from malaria is between 1.5 - 3 million deaths, or between 4000 and 8000 each day. Developing countries are most vulnerable to Malaria and as shown on source 2 Malaria has been spread across many various other countries including in Europe, but these countries have eradicated Malaria.
Brian, G, Y., Greenwood, D, A., Fidock, Dennis, E, K., Stefan, H, I. Kappe, P., Alonso, L., Frank, H and Collins, P (2008) “Malaria progress and prospects for eradication.” Journal Clinical Investiment. 118: 1266-1276.
Malaria is a disease that affects nearly 600 million people and causes more than a million deaths a year, the most coming from children under five. This disease is regularly found in more than 100 countries around the world and affects 40% of the world’s population. It is most commonly transmitted by an infected Anopheles mosquito. The most deadly form of malaria is known as Plasmodium falciparum because almost all deaths from malaria are caused by this specific one. Some of the symptoms that are affiliated with this strand of malaria are the destruction of red blood cells along with complications with the kidneys, lungs, and brain. In more serious cases, it can cause permanent neurological effects and even death. As the Nobel Assembly said at the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, “Diseases caused by parasites have plagued humankind for a millennium and constitute a major global health problem. In particular, parasitic diseases affect the world’s poorest populations and represent a huge barrier to improving human health and wellbeing”. Youyou Tu, one of the winners of the prize, discovered Artemisinin, “a drug that has significantly reduced the mortality rates for patients suffering from malaria by killing the malaria parasites an early stage of their development.”
Malaria has been in existence for thousands of years. Many historical records show that it has affected human civilization greatly by plaguing and causing mass death. The earliest record can be traced back to 2700 BC in China (Cox, 2002). It has been long associated with swamps and insects for hundreds of years but often believed to be the air from swamps causing the plague. The term malaria rooted from two Italian words ‘mala’ and ‘aria’ which literally means bad air. Humanity did not know the true nature of the long thought disease until 1894 when a Scottish physician, Sir Ronald Ross, discovered that it was actually the parasite in mosquito that is causing the malaria.
Malaria is a very contagious parasite transmitted through mosquitoes to humans. Those at risk are individuals living in areas conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes, especially those that allow the mosquitoes to complete their growth cycle. Everyone is at risk
Malaria (also called biduoterian fever, blackwater fever, falciparum malaria, plasmodium, Quartan malaria, and tertian malaria) is one of the most infectious and most common diseases in the world. This serious, sometimes-fatal disease is caused by a parasite that is carried by a certain species of mosquito called the Anopheles. It claims more lives every year than any other transmissible disease except tuberculosis. Every year, five hundred million adults and children (around nine percent of the world’s population) contract the disease and of these, one hundred million people die. Children are more susceptible to the disease than adults, and in Africa, where ninety percent of the world’s cases occur and where eighty percent of the cases
Plasmodium a single-cell parasitic protozoa is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected female Anopheles species mosquitoes. This can lead to potentially fatal parasites, rapidly multiplying in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in symptoms arising from cycles of fevers, chills, severe headaches, vomiting, jaundice and diarrhoea. One major disastrous symptom includes sweats accompanied by anaemia, cause damages to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain, which could result in incurable illness leading to fatal death. In very severe cases it can cause seizures, comas or even death. Symptoms usually present between ten to fifteen days after the initial infection. Unlike other diseases, Malaria can represent in people months or even years later. Death rate is approximately 1%-5% due to the spread of Malaria in Afghanistan, affecting each and everyone.
Malaria or other similar diseases like malaria has been recognized and encountered by humans for more than 4,000 years. Malaria is caused by the genus Plasmodium parasites, which enter the human body and are transmitted to people through the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite (Q&A, Malaria). Once the parasite enters the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver and then infect red blood cells. The malaria parasite was first discovered on November 6, 1880, by a French army surgeon named Charles Louis Al phonse Laveran. While stationed in
According to the Malaria Vaccine Institute, almost 600 million people suffer from malaria each year, and more than one million people die from this disease every year, the most deaths come from children younger than five. Malaria is endemic to over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the South Pacific, around 40% of the world population. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transferred by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. The most deadly form of malaria is known as Plasmodium falciparum because almost all deaths from malaria are caused by this specific one. In addition to being the deadliest form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum destroys red blood cells along with causing complications with the kidneys, lungs, and brain. In more serious cases, it can cause permanent neurological effects and even death. As the Nobel Assembly said at the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, “Diseases caused by parasites have plagued humankind for a millennium and constitute a major global health problem. In particular, parasitic diseases affect the world’s poorest populations and represent a huge barrier to improving human health and wellbeing”. Youyou Tu, one of the winners of the prize, discovered Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly reduced the mortality rates for patients suffering from malaria by killing the malaria parasites an early stage of their development.
Malaria claims more lives than any other communicable disease except tuberculosis. Over 200 million cases worldwide are reported each year. According to the World Health Organization Research, Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the parasite plasmodium (WHO, 2011). It is a life-threatening disease transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Unfortunately, an estimated death toll of 1 million African children is reported. Thus this paper will aim to further define this condition while describing clinical manifestations and preventive
The main cause of Malaria is Plasmodium falciparum or plasmodium vivax, which is carry by the female Anopheles mosquito. As the female Anopheles mosquito bits on the human to take blood meal, the Plasmodium falciparum gets injected to the blood stream via mosquito’s saliva and travels through blood stream and eventually gets to the liver. In liver the Plasmodium falciparum being to multiply asexually. Next they start rupturing liver cells and release back to the blood stream. In the blood the parasite being to invade and multiply again inside the red blood cells. This time they start to reproduce sexually within the blood stream. This occurs until the red blood cells burst and releasing the parasite once again into the blood stream. Bursting of the red blood cells lead to acute anemia. This cycle happens over and over again and each time cause Chile, fever sweating. Rupturing the red blood cells and high temperature fever will eventually lead to death. Next the uninfected female Anopheles mosquito bites on the infected human and by sucking its
On average there are around 300-500 million people who become infected with malaria every year, with most of the
Although there have been many years of research and planned measurements to control the outbreak of malaria, the realization of a malaria-free world remains an ongoing battle. The widespread of this disease continues to expand to different origins in the world. “An estimated two billion people (more than 40% of the world population) live in areas with malaria risk (MFI).” “The global annual incidence ranges between three to five hundred million clinical cases, with a death toll of between two to three million (Okenu).” “Malaria accounts for 10% of Africa’s disease burden, causing the greatest suffering and impoverishment among poor people, with pregnant women and children under five years of age, being the most vulnerable (Okenu).” This
Human beings are creatures who automatically accustom and adapt to their surroundings. They are taught to beware strangers, look both ways before crossing the street and other instinctive precautions to ensure safety amongst everybody. In contrary, the biggest threat to human civilization cannot even be seen with our own eyes. Spread and infection of a single virus can be equivalent to the scary stranger on the street only it is harder to run from. Malaria is a disease of the blood caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is easily transmitted by a particular mosquito. Out of all those pesky insects throughout the summer, it is a relief that only the female Anopheles mosquito is able to transmit malaria, on the other hand, there are more than 100 species of malaria parasite. This is including the most deadliest named Plasmodium falciparum which is sadly common in the African continent. A malaria parasite finds its way to inject or enter into the body where it will first enter into the liver and begins to multiply itself thousands of times. Throughout history, before there was a label on this disease, symptoms can be dated back from 4,000 years when malaria was translated as “bad air” in italian words “mal’ aria”("The History of Malaria, an Ancient Disease."). In addition, the symptoms and transaction of the malaria disease were recorded in medical writings of the ancient chinese, responsible for the decline of populations in greece during the 4th century BCE, and even
Around the world each year people died from Malaria, mainly in tropical and subtropical part of the world, there are five species of Plasmodium can cause disease in humans P. ovale, P. malariae, P. vivax, P. falciparum, and the primate species P. knowlesi. In previous reported WHO (2015) 215 million cases and 438 thousand dead by infection of P. falciparum, it is the strain most common and fatal mainly in Africa [1]. P. falciparum is capacity changes the red