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Infection Illness and Disease |
- The malaria pathogen is not a bacterium; it is not a virus.
- It is a unicellular parasite with 14 chromosomes and more than 5000 genes, most of them encoding hypothetical proteins.
- There are four different species of the malaria parasite capable of infecting humans. Two are most common. Plasmodium falciparum, which is found globally but is commonest in Africa, is the most aggressive species, often killing through coma or anemia. Plasmodium vivax, which ranges widely throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania and the Americas (and is resurgent in Eastern Europe), can cause recurring and debilitating infection, but rarely kills.
- Species of the Plasmodium parasite are also found in primates, rodents, bats and other mammals, birds and reptiles.
- Fever is the first symptom. Several hours later, the fever drops and chills set in. Two to four days later, the cycle repeats. More serious forms of malaria can affect the brain and the kidneys. Progression of symptoms from initial fever to death can take as little as 24 hours.
- Much of the long-standing disability from malaria is attributable to the anemia that it causes.
This information about malaria was presented as the Background Information Pack during the development of the Roll Back Malaria Program (See Malaria Advocacy - The Beginnings )
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About Malaria 
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