West Berkshire & North Hampshire

Malaria is one of the largest killers in the third world, particularly in Africa. In 2008 it is estimated that nearly one million deaths were due to malaria, and that most of those killed by the disease were African children. Worldwide, there were 246 million reported cases of malaria in 2008.

Malaria is transmitted through the bites of Anopheles mosquitoes. There are about 20 different special of Anopheles mosquitoes throughout the world. Malaria transmission is more intense in places where the mosquitoes lifespan is the longest, as it gives the virus full chance to develop. Immunity can be developed over years of exposure, hence why the majority of those that die from the disease are children who have not built up this resistance.

Symptoms of malaria usually occur 10 – 15 days after the initial bite from the infected mosquito. The first symptoms are difficult to diagnose as malaria, and include fever, headaches, chills and vomiting. Children in areas with sever disease frequently develop additional life-threatening symptoms such as severe anaemia and respiratory distress. Adults can suffer from multi-organ involvement which greatly deceases their chances of recovery.

There are certain types of people that are at higher risk of catching malaria than others, for example young children,  non-immune or semi-immune pregnant woman, people with HIV/AIDS and immigrants/travellers who have not built up any immunity and suddenly move to a high-risk area.

Malaria is treatable, however in third world countries, treatment can be expensive or hard to come by. The primary focus is prevention before cure. The top priority for prevention is controlling the amount of mosquitoes in the environment. This can be done by cutting off access to breeding grounds by covering water sources, however this is not always possible. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the most cost effective way to prevent malaria is by ensuring that every person in a high-risk area sleeps underneath an insecticide impregnated net every night. Indoor spraying can also be used. This is where inside areas such as residencies are sprayed with a residual insecticide which can be effective for 3-6 months. Depending on the area and type of material sprayed on, this effectiveness can be prolonged to 9-12 months.

Malaria is also a problem for travellers visiting high-risk areas, particularly if they have never been exposed to the disease before and have no level of immunity. An example would be a student from the UK on a gap year volunteering in Africa. It is vital that travellers visit a healthcare professional at least one month before departure, in order to ensure they receive enough malaria treatment for the duration of their trip. Certain malaria prevention tables require the traveller to begin taking them several weeks before departure, and to continue several weeks after their return.

In order to reduce the risk of being bitten by a mosquito, there are many ways to repel mosquitoes. One of the most popular ways to protect yourself when out and about is by using an insect repellent. There are currently two main types of insect repellent – those that contain DEET and natural insect repellents. Detailed information about insect repellents can be found at http://www.insectrepellentonline.com.

Other ways to protect yourself include sleeping under a bed net, wearing loose fitting clothes and avoiding areas with large areas of still water (e.g. marshes), particularly at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. You can also make yourself smells less appealing to mosquitoes by avoiding using scented shampoo, conditioners and body lotion.

Article sources:

World Health Organisation (2011, April). Malaria Fact sheet N94. Retrieved May 24, 2011, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/

Insect and mosquito repellents (2011, May). All you need to know about insect and mosquito repellents . Retrieved May 24, 2011, from http://www.insectrepellentonline.com/