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11 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Introduction |
Malaria is a communicable disease that is a major problem in many tropical locations around the world. It affects 3.3 billion people, or almost half of the world’s population. A child dies from malaria every 30 seconds. At its peak, malaria was previously found in almost all countries, but has since been narrowed down to 97 countries through preventative measures such as insecticide and swamp drainage. As well as this, the number of malaria-related deaths has fallen from 985,000 in 2000 to 781,000 in 2009. However, it is still a large problem in developing countries. |
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Type of disease |
Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the Plasmodium type. It is a mosquito-borne disease that is spread to humans by an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Parasites are introduced into the person’s blood stream along with the mosquito's saliva when the mosquito bites. The parasites then travel to the liver to mature and reproduce. The incubation period, or the period between initial infection and appearance of symptoms of malaria, is usually from 9 to 14 days, although it can be up to several weeks. This is the period of time in which the parasites are maturing in the liver. After this time, the parasites emerge and invade red blood cells, then circulate in the blood stream. |
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Epidemiology/diagnosis |
The presence of malaria is concentrated around tropical regions in Africa, Asia and South America due to conditions favourable for the rapid reproduction of vectors. Malaria is usually diagnosed through a blood test. In the blood test, a chemical stain is added and it is then examined under a microscope. This is made difficult in less developed regions where malaria is prevalent. Symptoms of malaria typically include high fever, sweating, headaches, nausea, vomiting and anemia. In severe cases, it can cause seizures, comas or death. The duration of malaria is dependent on the person, although symptoms can still appear after up to four years due to dormant parasites in the liver recurring. |
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Prevention |
Prevention of malaria is the most effective way to diminish the disease. There is currently no vaccine for malaria due to the complexity of the malaria parasite. Once the parasite is in the bloodstream, it constantly changes, mutating and building resistance to drugs. In endemic regions where transmission of malaria is high, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, people are continuously infected with malaria, which leads to a gradually developed immunity. Children are highly vulnerable to malaria because they have not yet developed this immunity. Pregnant women are also vulnerable due to weakened immune systems. |
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Vaccine |
There is currently no vaccine against a parasite. Vaccines trigger an immune response in humans that protects against infection. This response does not occur in humans for parasites. Instead of vaccination, other prevention options must be used. Methods of prevention include insect repellent, long clothes, and insecticide treated nets. Antiretroviral drugs can delay the progression of the virus, but they do not stop the spread of malaria. The treatments available are the same as preventions, and the majority contain quinolone derivatives. These drugs accumulate in the parasite food vacuole and form a complex that disrupts the cellular process of the parasite. These drugs are not always effective due to the strain of the parasite found in Sub-Saharan Africa being resistant. |
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Impact |
Malaria has a large impact on developing countries, with many economic, social, political and environmental issues associated with it. Malaria is mainly concentrated in tropical countries, where the development process has already been hindered due to environmental problems such as natural disasters. The climate makes disease more prevalent. These countries are often unable to prevent or treat disease due to lack of funding and resources. |
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Environment |
The spread of malaria is widely impacted by the environment. Transmission of malaria is more intense in places with a tropical climate as well as vast water sources, as these conditions are favourable for vector growth and production. |
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Economy |
Economically, the presence of malaria decreases productivity due to the debilitating symptoms and lethargy. This prevents advancement in the economy by up to 50%. As well as this, malaria’s prevalence in young children means that women are more likely to have more children to compensate for the possible loss of life. Due to this, most women in these regions are out of the workforce for most of their lives. The lack of work means that families are living off a small amount of money that may not allow for the cost of treatment of malaria when the situation arises. |
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Social |
Socially, the burden of malaria on a society can prevent them from developing further. There is no social stigma associated with malaria due to the normalisation of the illness. This makes infected people less likely to receive treatment, which can worsen the disease. Malaria may prevent people from receiving a valuable education due to absence from school, or they may experience a loss of income due to lost days of work. Because of the lack of productivity, it is difficult for malaria-infected countries to improve their standard of living.
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Political |
Political instability can increase the effect of malaria on a population. In areas of Sri Lanka, malaria cases jumped by 25% from 2009 to 2010 in the wake of political violence. This is due to ill-focused governments who are not implementing prevention methods of malaria, including education, water and sanitation and healthcare. This lack of focus on disease is caused by political violence, instability or corruption. |
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Past and present |
In the past, malaria has been eradicated through change in human behaviour, such as shifting population centres and changing farming methods, and through improving living standards. In the early twentieth century, mosquito control measures such as the widespread use of insecticide, swamp drainage and insecticide treated nets were implemented. These methods helped to eradicate malaria in most countries with high development. Currently, the World Health organisation is encouraging the use of insecticide treated bed nets, due to the nocturnal nature of mosquitos. The use of these bed nets has been shown to eradicate the mosquito population by up to 90% with minimal economic, social, political environmental problems. Eradicating malaria in less developed countries would decrease their burden of disease and allow them to further |
