Infectious Disease Project: Malaria

Research

Type of agent that spreads the disease:

•   Malaria is spread by bacteria transferred by the mosquito. (Ryan) Malaria Site

Type of infection and/or transmission:

•   It depends on local factors such as rainfall patterns. (Reg)

Symptoms:

• Headache
• Vomitting
• Flu-like symptoms
• Diarrhea (Reg) 

Treatment:

•   Anti-malarial drugs can be prescribed to people traveling to areas where malaria is prevalent. It is important to see your health care provider well in advance of your departure, because treatment may begin as long as 2 weeks before entering the area, and continue for a month after leaving the area. The types of anti-malarial medications prescribed will depend on the drug-resistance patterns in the areas to be visited. (Ryan) Health Line

Control/Prevention:

• Avoid being bit by a mosquito
• Antimalaric drugs must be taken before entering a high risk area
• Wear protective clothing
• Using insect repellent (Reg)

Number of people infected each year:

•   Malaria kills more than 3 million people and affects another 300 million each year. (Ryan) Malaria Site

Where it occurs:

•  Many travelers acquire malaria, a potentially life-threatening disease, during travel to tropical and subtropical countries. If you are traveling to Mexico and Central America, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, or the Solomon Islands, you could be at risk for malaria. (Ryan) CDC

  

   

   

   

Group members

• Ryan Z. ( blackrider92@msn.com)
• Reg T.

Sources

1. www.malariasite.com
2. www.healthline.com
3. www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers
4. www.anytestkits.com/malaria-prevention.htm
5. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/malaria-symptoms

Meetings

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