(39) GCSE Biology Revision "Malaria"

Introduction to Malaria

• Malaria is a communicable disease causing over 400,000 deaths annually.

• Understanding of malaria focuses on:

  • Cause and symptoms

  • Life cycle of the malaria pathogen

  • Prevention of malaria spread

Cause and Symptoms of Malaria

• Malaria is caused by a pathogen, specifically a protist.

  • Example of the malaria pathogen seen in human blood.

• Symptoms include:

  • Repeated bouts of fever.

  • Can be fatal in severe cases.

Life Cycle of the Malaria Pathogen

• The malaria pathogen is transmitted through mosquitoes.

• Life cycle steps:

  1. An infected person is bitten by a mosquito.

  2. The malaria pathogen enters the mosquito.

  3. The mosquito bites another person, spreading the pathogen.

• Mosquitoes are identified as vectors that carry the pathogen.

Prevention of Malaria Spread

1. Stopping Mosquito Breeding

• Mosquitoes breed in still water.

  • Example: ponds and stagnant water.

• Methods to prevent breeding include:

  • Draining areas of still water.

  • Spraying insecticides to kill mosquitoes.

2. Preventing Mosquito Bites

• Effective methods to prevent bites:

  • Sleeping under mosquito nets.

  • Ensuring nets are treated with insecticide to kill mosquitoes that land on them.

• These methods decrease the chance of malaria transmission.

Conclusion

• Mastery of malaria's cause, symptoms, life cycle, and prevention techniques is crucial for understanding the disease and efforts to combat its spread.