8. Malaria, Deforestation and the Impact of Climate Change

What is malaria?

a life-threatening disease which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes

What transmits malaria?

Female anopheles mosquitos

What type of parasites cause malaria?

– Plasmodium falciparum

– Plasmodium vivax

– Plasmodium malariae

– Plasmodium ovale

What is stage 1 of malaria?

Mosquito bites and injects malaria parasites into the human

What is stage 2 of malaria?

Parasites go to the liver, grow, and multiply. After ~10 days, they enter the bloodstream

What is stage 3 of malaria?

Parasites invade red blood cells. Some turn into gametocytes (reproductive forms

What is stage 4 of malaria?

Another mosquito bites the person and picks up the gametocytes

What is stage 5 of malaria?

Inside the mosquito, gametocytes become gametes, reproduce, and form new parasites.

Who is most affected by malaria?

Pregnant women

Travellers

Children

Impact of deforestation on malaria?

Deforestation creates more mosquito-friendly habitats, increasing the spread of malaria e.g stagnant water with warm sun

Impact of climate change on malaria?

Warmer temperatures and more rainfall help mosquitoes survive in new areas, spreading malaria to places it didn’t exist before.

How to treat/diagnose/prevent malaria?

Treated: With antimalarial drugs (like artemisinin).

Diagnosed: Using blood tests and rapid diagnostic to find parasites.

Prevented: Using mosquito nets, insect repellent, and malaria vaccines.

What is range expansion?

When a species spreads to new areas where it didn’t live before—like mosquitoes moving to new regions due to climate change