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What is malaria?
Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite and sometimes results in death.
There are four kinds of malaria that can infect humans--Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.
Where can you become infected with malaria?
40% of people worldwide are at risk of being infected by malaria
People are at risk of being infected by malaria in over 100 countries and territories
Malaria-risk areas include Africa, Central and South America, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
How do you become infected with malaria?
If a malaria-infected mosquito bites a human, the parasite enters the human's blood stream.
Once the malaria parasite is in the human blood stream, it travels to the liver where it enters the liver's cells, grows, and multiplies.
Eventually (8 days to as many as several months) the parasites leave the liver and enter red blood cells.
In a red blood cell, the parasite grows and multiplies causing the cell to burst allowing for the parasite to attack another red blood cell.
Parasite also releases toxins into the blood causing the human to feel sick.
Malaria can be spread by locally infected mosquitoes, blood transfusions, organ transplants, shared syringes or during pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of malaria?
Flu-like symptoms and fever such as headaches, chills, and muscle aches.
Vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea may occur.
With the loss of red blood cells, jaundice and anemia may result.
If infected by the P. falciparum strain, kidney failure, mental confusion, seizures, coma, and death can result if not promptly treated
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