Malaria

Malaria Latest News

World Malaria Day is observed every year on April 25, as endorsed by WHO member states in 2007.

• The theme for 2025 is “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, which urges renewed global action against malaria through innovation, collaboration, and sustained commitment.

About Malaria

• Malaria is a life-threatening febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• The disease is not contagious, but can be spread through infected blood or contaminated needles.
• The most dangerous species are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.

Symptoms and Risks

• Symptoms appear 10–15 days after infection and include fever, chills, and headache.
• Severe symptoms can include seizures, difficulty breathing, jaundice, dark urine, and death if untreated.
• Partial immunity can develop in endemic regions, making diagnosis difficult in some patients.

Prevention and Treatment

• Prevention includes vector control, use of mosquito nets, repellents (DEET, IR3535, Icaridin), long clothing, and chemoprophylaxis for travellers.
• Early diagnosis and treatment using microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are critical.
• Treatments include:
  • ACTs (Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies) for P. falciparum.
  • Chloroquine for P. vivax where effective.
  • Primaquine to prevent relapses in P. vivax and P. ovale infections.
• Severe malaria cases require injectable treatments in clinical settings.

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Malaria FAQs

Q1. What causes malaria?
Ans. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Q2. Which Plasmodium species is the deadliest?
Ans. Plasmodium falciparum is the most severe and deadly species causing malaria.

Source: PIB