Malaria: Causes And It’s Danger To Man

Malaria is a life-threatening disease that spreads when an infected mosquito bites a person. The mosquito transfers parasites into that person’s bloodstream. Symptoms of malaria include fever and shaking chills. Malaria is rare in the United States and common in tropical countries such as Africa and Asia. Malaria is treatable if it’s caught early.

What is malaria?

Malaria is a serious disease that spreads when an infected mosquito bites a human. Tiny parasites can infect mosquitoes. When it bites, the mosquito injects malaria parasites into the person’s bloodstream.

If it isn’t treated, malaria can cause severe health problems such as seizures, brain damage, trouble breathing, organ failure and death. The disease is rare in the United States. If you’re traveling to an area where malaria is common, talk to your provider about malaria prevention.

How common is malaria?

Malaria is common in tropical areas where it’s hot and humid. In the United States, about 2,000 people get malaria every year. Worldwide, more than 220 million people get malaria annually. The majority of these cases occur in Africa and South Asia. Around 450,000 people die from the disease every year.

Where does malaria usually occur?

Malaria occurs all over the world, but it’s rare in the United States. It’s common in developing countries and areas with warm temperatures and high humidity, including:

• Africa.
• Central and South America.
• Dominican Republic, Haiti and other areas in the Caribbean.
• Eastern Europe.
• South Asia.
• Islands in the Central and South Pacific Ocean (Oceania).

What causes malaria?

People get malaria when an infected mosquito bites them. A mosquito becomes infected by biting someone who has malaria. The infected mosquito transfers a parasite into a person’s bloodstream, where the parasites multiply. Five types of malaria parasites can infect humans.

In rare cases, pregnant women with malaria can transfer the disease to their children before or during birth. Very rarely, malaria can transfer through blood transfusions, organ donations and hypodermic needles