Understanding malaria

Where might I catch malaria?

Malaria is a threat in more than 100 countries in Africa, Asia and South America. The most dangerous type (caused by Plasmodium falciparum) is common in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Although malaria occurs in many countries, the risk of catching the disease varies:

Source: RBM/WHO 2005

Remember - the type of drug your doctor prescribes for you will partly depend on the region you are travelling to. Medication that worked in the past may no longer be effective and has to be changed from time to time. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends that all countries experiencing resistance to conventional monotherapies such as chloroquine or sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine should use combination therapies, preferably those containing artemisinin derivatives (ACTs – artemisinin-based combination therapies). The use of single-drug artemisinin therapy or monotherapy is also being phased out, as this hastens the development of resistance to artemisinin in malaria parasites.

In some countries, risk also varies from season to season. It is highest during the rainy season, when there are many mosquitoes. In areas where there is a stable, warm, humid climate, the risk may be high throughout the year.

No movie? Click here to download the free movie player.

Built-up areas and major cities are usually free from malaria. But even here, you still need to take care. It takes just one bite from an infected mosquito to start the disease. In the most risky areas, you can expect to be bitten once a week by an infected mosquito. Just one bite is all it takes to become infected with malaria parasites.