malaria

It is one of the ten deadliest diseases of all time. It effects men, women, children, and animals. It is in full force in Africa, India, Asia, China, South America, and the Caribbean. This disease is malaria. Nearly 40 percent of the world’s population lives in areas that are effected by the disease.

Malaria is a serious, infectious disease spread by certain mosquitoes. It is caused by infection with the Plasmodium genus of the protozoan parasite. More than one hundred species of this parasite exist. It is capable of infecting reptiles, birds, rodents, and primates. Four species infect human beings, the most common being P.vivax and P. falciparum.

Many animals can get malaria but human malaria does not spread to animals. In turn, animal malaria does not spread to humans. A person becomes infected with malaria when bitten by a female mosquito who pocesses the malaria parasite. The parasite enters the blood stream and travels to the liver, where they multiply. When they re-emerge into the blood stream symptoms appear. By the time most symptoms show up, the parasites have reproduced very rapidly, clogging blood vessels and rupturing cells.

Malaria cannot be casually transmitted. Instead an infected mosquito bites someone with it, and then passes the disease on to the next person bit. It is also possible to spread malaria through contaminated needles or in bl...