Malaria Is It Still Around?

It may have been overshadowed by its more famous mosquito-borne comrade, dengue, but malaria is still here and still deadly. How can you protect yourself and your loved ones from malaria?

- Saras Ramiya

Here in Malaysia, we are highly aware of dengue and the threat it poses. We are more careful about protecting ourselves against mosquito bites and we take efforts to prevent mosquitoes from breeding near our homes. Even our local councils have stepped up by fogging mosquito-prone areas.

All these anti-mosquito measures are commendable. Because the ubiquitous mosquito is not just a carrier of dengue. Mosquitoes are the host for a multitude of disease-causing parasites. This includes the malaria parasite. Malaria is yet another life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical countries. The female Anopheles mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium parasites pass them on to human victims when they bite them.

A Parasitic Disease

Out of the five parasite species that cause malaria in people, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are dangerous. P. falciparum is the cause of most malaria deaths worldwide and is widely found in Africa, while P. vivax is mostly found in countries outside of Africa. In Malaysia, P. knowlesi is yet another Plasmodium species that can cause serious illness.