Are You There God? It's Me Malaria

by Mirely Baca

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Questions to Answer

• What are the symptoms of malaria?

• Where is malaria most prevalent?

• How are malaria cases distributed?

• Why does malaria prevail in specific areas?

Symptoms 

• If infected one might suffer from:o Fevers, cough, chills, fatigue, sweats, enlarged

spleen, joint pain, diarrhea, headache, loss of appetite, vomiting

• May:o  Appear anywhere from 7-30 days after

infectiono Be cyclical, appearing at a variety of intensities

and lengths of time• If left untreated, can cause:

o Impaired function of brain or spinal cord, severe anemia, seizures, coma, death

More About Malaria

• Over 2.5 million die globally every year

• Approx. 40% of world's population live in malaria prevalent areas

• Disease favors:o  warm and humid

climateo stagnant pools of

water (near forests)o tropical

environment

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Global Distribution of Malaria

 

Angola

• Population in 2000 was 10,143,267o 21% of

population infected

• Population in 2008 was 12,531,357 o 27% of

population infected

 

- GNI = $86.9 billion- Climate: semiarid and cool, dry season and hot, wet season- Terrain: plains, plateau

Brazil

 

• Population in 2000 was 172,860,370

• Population in  2008 was 196,342,592 o 0.16% of

population infected

- GNI = $1.93 trillion- Climate: tropical, in some parts temperate- Terrain: flat lowlands, plains, some hills

Malawi

• In 2000 population was 10,385,849o 35% of

population infected

• Population in 2008 was 13,931,831 o 36% of

population infected

- GNI= $12.1 billion- Climate: sub-tropical, rainy season and dry season- Terrain: plateau, plains, hills, some mountains

Mozambique

• Population in 2000 was 19,104,696

• Population in 2008 was  21,284,701 o 23% of

population infected

- GNI = $17.2 billion- Climate: tropical to subtropical- Terrain: lowlands, high plateaus, mountains

Uganda

• Population in 2000 was 23,317,560  o 15% of

population infected

• Population in  2008 was 31,367,972 o 35% of

population infected

- GNI = $36.1 billion - Climate: tropical, rainy with two dry seasons- Terrain: plateau with rim of mountains

Common Traits

 

• All have GNI under $90 billion (except Brazil)

• Mainly tropical and dry• Mainly flat, lowlands

- Compared to United States:

• GNI = $14.7 trillion• Climate: temperate• Terrain: plains, mountains, hills

Causes of Prevalence

• Migrationo Refugees, tourists, and migrants aid spread

diseaseo Lack immunity 

• Locationo Houses near forest fringeo Houses near water sourceso Rural settlements

Land clearance activities = contact between people and vectors

• Resistanceo Adapt to be resistant to treatments

Causes of Prevalence

• Povertyo Poor quality of housing

Roof and walls o Health Services not accessible o Lack of adequate education

Unaware of symptoms o Non-developed communities

Lack drain systems Lack impervious surfaces

o Unaffordable means of protection Drugs (chloroquine) Insecticides (DDT)

o Poor sanitationo Outdoor labor

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Although

• Malaria may be nearly non-existent in an area but...o Being located to migratory groupso Having high tourist rateo Increasing povertyo Lack of adequate sanitation

may resurface high prevalence of malaria

Climate Effects on Malaria

• Rainfall and temperature = important factors for malaria transmission

• Typically, survival decreases as temperature rises and increases as humidity increases

• Rainfall provides setting for aquatic life cycle o Moderate rain can aid spreado Excessive rain can prevent spread

• Temperature is a managing factor o Survive best between 68-77° Fo Intense high temperatures increases mortality 

• Studies show possible influence of anthropogenic climate change to distribution of malaria and effects on life cycle of parasite

ReferencesBarbieri, Alisson F., Diana Oya Sawyer, and Britaldo Silveira Soares Filho. "Population         and Land Use Effects on Malaria Prevalence in the Southern Brazilian Amazon."           Human Ecology.  33.6 (2005): 847-874. JSTOR. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.Caldes de Castro, Marcia, Roberto L. Monte-Mor, Diana O. Sawyer, and Burton H.         Singer. "Malaria Risk on the Amazon Frontier." Proceedings of the National          Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103.7 (2006): 2452-2457.             JSTOR. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.Martens, Willem J.M., Louis W. Niessen, Jan Rotmans, Theo H. Jetten, and Anthony J.         McMichael. "Potential Impact of Global Climate Change on Malaria Risk."       Environmental Health Perspectives 103.5 (1995): 458-464. JSTOR. Web. 21 Apr.           2010.Prajapati, Bhupendra G., Amit K. Patel, and Madhabhai M. Patel. "Study Of Hospital        Based Malaria Cases In Mehsana District Of North Gujarat." Internet Journal of         Third World Medicine 5.1 (2008): 6. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20         Apr. 2010.Williamson, John S. "FACING DOWN MALARIA: Taking on a global child killer." Phi         Kappa Phi Forum 88.4 (2008): 28-29.Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20        Apr. 2010.World Malaria Report 2009. Geneva: WHO, 2008. Print.