CHALLENGES

Malaria

Each year, over 200 million people become infected with malaria — and 435,000 die. Over 60% of these deaths are children under five years old, making malaria one of the leading causes of child mortality in Africa.. Even when non-fatal, malaria can damage children’s cognitive development. Pregnant women are also highly vulnerable, with the health of both mother and unborn child at risk. 

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes at night while people are sleeping. When LLINs are hung over beds and sleeping spaces, mosquitoes land, pick up insecticide on their feet, and die. This is a hugely effective intervention. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirms LLINs have been associated with sharp decreases in malaria in countries where malaria programs have achieved high LLIN coverage , and the World Health Organization says that “insecticide-treated mosquito nets are currently the only viable option to prevent malaria transmission in large parts of Africa.” 

“Insecticide-treated mosquito nets are currently the only viable option to prevent malaria transmission in large parts of Africa.”
— WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

A significant number of studies, including randomized controlled trials, have demonstrated and quantified the effectiveness of LLINs. We know that malaria can be brought under control and infection rates kept low long-term when LLINs are effectively distributed over the course of a decade in malarious areas. Eradication is possible — and is occurring! In fact, Sri Lanka was declared malaria-free in 2017 after three years of no native cases of malaria .

A person gets malaria from the bite of an infected female mosquito. The mosquito bite injects young forms of the malaria parasite into the person's blood. The parasites travel through the person's bloodstream to the liver, where they grow to their next stage of development. In 6 to 9 days, the parasites leave the liver and reenter the bloodstream. They invade the red blood cells, finish growing, and begin to multiply quickly. The number of parasites increases until the red blood cells burst, releasing thousands of parasites into the person's bloodstream. The parasites attack other red blood cells, and the cycle of infection continues, causing the common signs and symptoms of malaria. 

When a non-infected mosquito bites an infected person, the mosquito sucks up the parasites from the person's blood. The mosquito is then infected with the malaria parasites. The parasites go through several stages of growth in the mosquito. When the mosquito bites someone else, that person will become infected with malaria parasites, and the cycle begins again. 

Malaria parasites can also be transmitted by transfusion of blood from an infected person or by the use of needles or syringes contaminated with the blood of an infected person. A mother also can transmit malaria to her infant before or during delivery..

People with malaria typically have cycles of chills, fevers, and sweating that recur every 1, 2, or 3 days. The attack of the malaria parasites on the person's red blood cells makes the person's temperature rise and the person feel hot. The subsequent bursting of red blood cells causes intense, shaking chills. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea often go along with the fever. The destruction of red blood cells can also cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin of whites of the eyes) and anemia. 

The time between a mosquito bite and the start of illness is usually 7 to 21 days, but some types of malaria parasites take much longer to cause symptoms. When infection occurs by blood transfusion, the time to the start of symptoms depends on the number of parasites in the transfusion. 

Malaria is diagnosed by a blood test to check for parasites.

Anyone who lives or travels to a country malaria-infected people and mosquitoes are a risk. 

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum can cause kidney or liver failure, coma, and death. Although infections with other malaria parasites cause less serious illness, parasites can remain inactive in the liver and cause a reappearance of symptoms months or even years later.

The treatment for malaria depends on where a person is infected with the disease. Different areas of the world have malaria types are resistant to certain medicines. The correct drugs for each type of malaria must be prescribed by a doctor. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum is a medical emergency. About 2% of persons infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria die, usually due to delayed treatment.

Worldwide, an estimated 250 million infections occur each year, with approximately half a million deaths. Most deaths are from infection with Plasmodium falciparum.

About 1,200 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United states each year. Most are persons entering the country for the first time or returning from foreign travel. A very small number of cases are the result of direct transmission involving mosquitoes that live in the United States. Most of these cases are Mexican farm workers living in poor conditions in California.