Areas of India with risk of malaria: All areas throughout the country, including cities of Bombay (Mumbai) and Delhi, except none in areas >2,000 m (6,562 ft) in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sikkim (see Map 2-15). See more detailed information about malaria in India.
About half of the world's population is at risk. Large areas of Africa and South Asia and parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania are considered areas where malaria transmission occurs.
Human malaria likely originated in Africa and coevolved with its hosts, mosquitoes and non-human primates. Malaria protozoa are diversified into primate, rodent, bird, and reptile host lineages. Humans may have originally caught Plasmodium falciparum from gorillas.
Malaria had largely been eliminated from the United States, Europe, and parts of Latin America and Asia by then. In sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, however, the disease resurged as drug- and insecticide-resistant strains of the parasite spread and funding for treatment and research dried up.
Singapore was declared malaria-free in 1982 after meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) assessment of having 1) a comprehensive and efficacious case detection mechanism; 2) reliable microscopic diagnosis of blood smears; 3) thorough epidemiological investigations and a satisfactory epidemiological situation; 4)
Malaria transmission in the United States was eliminated in the early 1950s through the use of insecticides, drainage ditches and the incredible power of window screens. But the mosquito-borne disease has staged a comeback in American hospitals as travelers return from parts of the world where malaria runs rampant.
More than 100 countries have eliminated malaria in the past century. Of the 106 countries with ongoing transmission in 2000, 57 reduced malaria incidence more than 75 percent by 2015, in line with the World Health Assembly target for 2015 of reducing the malaria burden by 75 percent.
- Case Management.
- Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs)
- Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnant Women (IPTp)
- Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS)
- Vector Control.
- Antimalarials to Reduce Transmission.
- Vaccines.
- Microscopy.
Malaria was nearly eradicated from India in the early 1960s but the disease has re-emerged as a major public health problem. As a result in 1976, 6.45 million cases were recorded by the National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP), highest since resurgence.
Although no cases of malaria have originated in America since the 1950s, malaria still exists in the country due to travelers that come back to the states with the disease.
A: Malaria is not caused by a virus or bacteria. Malaria is caused by a parasite known as Plasmodium, which is normally spread through infected mosquitoes. A mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected human, taking in Plasmodia which are in the blood.
The National Travel Health Network and Centre and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for India: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, polio and tetanus. Recommended for most travellers to the region, especially if unvaccinated.
Low risk with additional advice: antimalarial tablets are not usually recommended, however, they can be considered for certain travellers who may be at higher risk e.g. longer stay in rural areas, visiting friends or relatives, those with medical conditions, immunosuppression or those without a spleen.
It appears that about one out of every 1000 Indians get malaria each year, and unlike travellers, Indians live there 365 days a year, and many live in the worst malarial regions. About one out of every million Indians die each year of malaria.
World Health Organization estimates that India has 15 million cases of malaria with 19,500–20,000 deaths annually vs. ∼2 million cases and 1,000 deaths reported (WHO SEARO website).
Important vector-borne disease for India, include malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis and chikungunya.
The PHAC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for India: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza. Shot lasts 2 years.
Experts are concerned that the virus may be introduced into India if precautions are not taken. India and other Asian countries have so far been free from the virus which is found in Africa and South America.
Some of the most common methods to prevent malaria are:
- Applying mosquito repellents.
- Always using mosquito nets over the bed.
- Wear long sleeves clothes that cover your arms and legs completely.
- Screen your doors and windows, especially during the evenings.
- Opt for loose-fitted clothes instead of tight ones.
Africa is the most affected due to a combination of factors: A very efficient mosquito (Anopheles gambiae complex) is responsible for high transmission. The predominant parasite species is Plasmodium falciparum , which is the species that is most likely to cause severe malaria and death.
Disease burdenThe estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 405 000 in 2018, compared with 416 000 deaths in 2017. The WHO African Region continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2018, the region was home to 93% of malaria cases and 94% of malaria deaths.
Vaccines. Although progress has been made in the last 10 years toward developing malaria vaccines, there is currently no licensed malaria vaccine on the market.
