If you’ve ever travelled to Africa, Asia, or South America then you’ve probably been warned about Malaria. Yet, even people who haven’t travelled extensively should be aware of what Malaria is and how to avoid it.
Malaria (also known as Plasmodium Infection) is a disease caused by a parasite that’s transmitted through the bite of an infected female mosquito. Malaria is a dangerous disease, that results in millions of deaths in many developing nations each year.
According to the experts at House Call Doctor, those who are infected will experience chills, headache, vomiting, and fever at an early stage. Delays in treatment can result in severe illness and even death. Some countries are exposed to a higher rate of malaria than others, most in Africa.
Countries of Reported Cases for Malaria
In 2015, 214 million new cases of malaria were reported with approximately 438 thousand of deaths. Here are the top ten countries that have reported cases of Malaria:
- Uganda – 10.3 million reported malaria cases;
- Ghana – 8.8 million reported malaria cases;
- Democratic Republic of Congo – 6.3 million reported malaria cases;
- Burkina Faso – 6.1 million reported malaria cases;
- Kenya – 5.8 million reported malaria cases;
- Zambia – 4.7 million reported malaria cases;
- Pakistan – 4.3 million reported malaria cases;
- Ethiopia – 3.9 million reported malaria cases;
- Malawi – 3.7 million reported malaria cases;
- Niger – 3.5 million reported malaria cases.
Five Species of Plasmodium and their Habitat
- vivax – Most commonly found in Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa;
- P.ovale – Rarely found outside Africa or the Western Pacific Islands;
- P.malariaw – Worldwide, but is less common than the other forms;
- P.falciparum – Present throughout much of the tropical and subtropical world, particularly common in sub-Saharan Africa;
- P.knowlesi – Found predominately in Malaysia, Philippines and Southeast Asia.
If you’re in one of these countries and are experiencing a high fever, you should seek urgent medical attention at a facility where a malaria blood smears can be performed immediately.
