About Malaria
Malaria is one of the world’s most common and serious tropical
diseases and is found in both tropical and sub-tropical regions of
the world1. Transmission is by the female
Anopheles mosquito1. Each year there are
approximately 300-500 million clinical cases of malaria
worldwide2, resulting in 1-2 million deaths3.
Approximately 40% of the world’s population is at risk of acquiring
malaria1 and the proportion increases each year due to
deteriorating health systems, increased drug and insecticide
resistance and climatic change4. Children, pregnant
women, travellers, refugees and labourers entering endemic areas
are considered to be high risk groups4. Morbidity,
mortality and transmission can be reduced if infection can be
promptly diagnosed and adequately treated3.
REFERENCES
1. World Health Organization
(cited Feb 2006). RBM Fact Sheet: What is Malaria?
[www.rbm.who.int]
Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat, WHO.
2. World Health
Organization (cited Feb 2006). RBM Fact Sheet: Basic Facts on
Malaria.
[www.rbm.who.int]
Roll Back Malaria Department, WHO.
3.
Rapid-diagnostics.org (cited Feb 2006). Rapid Diagnostic Tests
for Malaria: About
Malaria.
[www.rapid-diagnostics.org/rti-malaria.htm] PATH.
4. The Global Fund (cited Feb 2006).
Fighting Malaria: The Global Malaria Epidemic
[www.theglobalfund.org/en/about/malaria/default.asp].