[Mind-of-mysterY]

Malaria affects between 200 and 400 million people a year in a broad band of tropical counties. It kills up to 10% of its victims and debilitates the rest so they become less resistance to other diseases. Australia has been successful at eradicating malaria but quarantine must be vigilant as people enter or re-enter the country.

The Cause:
The unicellular parasite called plasmodium.

Transmission:
It is carried by a vector. The female anopheles mosquito, transfers it from human to human. Plasmodium reproduces sexually and forms sporozoites ready to enter a human.

Host Response:
When sporozoites enter the blood our immune system will recognise it as foreign and B-cells (type of white blood cell) will attack it. The body temperature will rise to try to slow down the metabolic processes in the invader. As the pathogen enters the liver cells, other blood cells, T-cells, take over the role. When merozoites breakout of the red blood cells that they invaded, the release toxins. The toxins are dealt with by both the B-cells and are also filtered out by the liver and kidneys.

Major Symptoms:
Feeling lathargic, fever, chills and headaches

Treatment:
A family of drugs called chloroquinine usually successful if taken early enough. Some trains of plasmodium have become resistant to some of the drugs.

Prevention:
Anything that will stop mosquites bitting. Long sleeved clothing, mosquito nets, insecticides, also antimalarial drugs such as paludrine through some are becoming resistant to it.

Control:
Government or charity organised programs including widespread pesticide spraying, education and funding to promote the use of mosquito nets impreganated with insecticides. Use of covered drains, draining ponds and other breeding grounds, funding for development of new drugs, genetic engeneering of mosquitos. In island nations that are free of Malaria, such as Australia, stricked quarantine to isolate any infected people and to spray imports for mosquitos.

Please do not copy word for word, but i do hope that this is helpful.