Malaria
Malaria is a very serious health problem in many parts of the world. It is caused by a parasitic protist called Plasmodium. The protist spends some of its life cycle within a mosquito host but it does not harm the mosquito. When a mosquito bites a human, it "pokes" the human's skin with a sharp, needle-like proboscis. Then it injects a blood thinner to allow the human blood to flow freely while the mosquito drinks it. When it injects the blood thinner, it also injects the Plasmodium protozoa into the human. Once inside the human, the Plasmodium travels to the liver and begins to mature. Within six days, the liver cell infected will burst and release 30,000 to 40,000 protozoa into the blood. There, they reproduce inside red blood cells. The red blood cells will become engorged with the protozoa and burst releasing even more protozoa to reproduce every two days. The death of the red blood cells can make the infected human very sick. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, chills, sweating, muscle pain, anemia, bloody stools, and coma. Without treatment, death is a real possibility for those infected.
Prevention is paramount. Bug repellants, bed nets, appropriate clothing and eliminating small pools of water where mosquitos can breed are all important precautions. Those traveling to areas where malaria is common may also be prescribed an antimilarial pill by doctors. Due to overuse and misuse, some mosquitos are becoming resistant to pesticides and the protozoa is becoming resistant to certain antibiotics and other treatments.
Nearly 3.3 billion people (half the world's population) live in areas at risk of malaria transmission. In 2010, an estimated 216 million people were infected with malaria and some 655,000 died. 91% of these cases were in Africa where mosquitos are plentiful and treatment and prevention options are not readily available (or afforded). On average, 1500 cases of malaria are reported every year in the US. Technically, the disease has been eradicated in this country since the early 1950's. However, with global travel much easier and affordable, travelers and immigrants can unwittingly get infected and bring the disease back into the U.S. Between 1957 and 2009, 63 outbreaks occurred where an infected person was bitten by a mosquito and the disease was transmitted locally within the US. In very rare cases, an infected person who donates blood can transmit the disease. Precautions are in place to screen out infected donors.
In the pictures below you can see a map of where malaria is typically an issue. The photo in the middle shows you what a scientist or doctor would see in looking at a blood sample of an infected person under a microscope. The bright red dots indicate the plasmodium protozoa within the blood cells.
Prevention is paramount. Bug repellants, bed nets, appropriate clothing and eliminating small pools of water where mosquitos can breed are all important precautions. Those traveling to areas where malaria is common may also be prescribed an antimilarial pill by doctors. Due to overuse and misuse, some mosquitos are becoming resistant to pesticides and the protozoa is becoming resistant to certain antibiotics and other treatments.
Nearly 3.3 billion people (half the world's population) live in areas at risk of malaria transmission. In 2010, an estimated 216 million people were infected with malaria and some 655,000 died. 91% of these cases were in Africa where mosquitos are plentiful and treatment and prevention options are not readily available (or afforded). On average, 1500 cases of malaria are reported every year in the US. Technically, the disease has been eradicated in this country since the early 1950's. However, with global travel much easier and affordable, travelers and immigrants can unwittingly get infected and bring the disease back into the U.S. Between 1957 and 2009, 63 outbreaks occurred where an infected person was bitten by a mosquito and the disease was transmitted locally within the US. In very rare cases, an infected person who donates blood can transmit the disease. Precautions are in place to screen out infected donors.
In the pictures below you can see a map of where malaria is typically an issue. The photo in the middle shows you what a scientist or doctor would see in looking at a blood sample of an infected person under a microscope. The bright red dots indicate the plasmodium protozoa within the blood cells.