MALARIA:
Malaria is spread by certain kinds of mosquitoes. It is common in tropical climates and is characterized by chills, fevers, and an enlarged spleen. It is an endemic disease, one that occurs frequently in a particular location. More than 90% of all Malarial deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Cause: It is caused byfour different kinds of parasites belonging to the plasmodium family and is transmitted by female mosquitoes that carry the parasite in their bodies. Malaria cannot be passed directly from one human to another.
Symptoms: A person infected with malaria passes through three stages. First stage is uncontrollable shivering, then the patient's body temperature rises quickly to 106°F, finally the patient begins to sweat profusely and falls asleep from exhaustion.
New cases: 350 – 500 million cases per year
Deaths: 1 million deaths per year
Sources
UK Department for International Development fact sheet on Malaria
General FAQs on Malaria
Official website for Center for Disease Control and Prevention
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