Malaria

Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites carried by Anopheles mosquitoes.

Malaria kills more than 400 000 people every year, mostly in Africa. 

Female mosquitoes spread the malaria parasites. When the mosquitoes suck up an infected person's blood containing parasites, they carry it to the next person that they bite, spreading the disease.

As there is no vaccine against malaria, use the ABCDE (Awareness, Bite prevention, Chemoprophylasxis (taking malaria prevention tablets), Diagnosis, Emergency standby method for malaria) technique to protect yourself against the disease.

The virus is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which is active during the day and at night.

Zika is transmitted through sexual intercourses or is passed from mother to child during pregnancy or at birth.

Currently, there is no specific medicine or vaccine for Zika virus.

Mosquito Diseases

  

Bug Icon

Symptoms

Usual symptoms include nausea, headaches, diarrhoea, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, yellow skin, kidney failure, seizure, confusion, high fever, and chills.

These symptoms may prove life threatening when not treated within 24h.

Lock Icon

Prevention & Treatment

Early diagnosis is life saving, reducing the disease and preventing contamination and death. 

Once malaria has been diagnosed, an antimalarial treatment can be started.

If you suspect you have malaria, seek immediate medical treatment and mention that you have travelled to a malaria zone.