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Malaria: definition and situation in the world

What is malaria?

Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted from man to man by the bite of a mosquito called Anopheles. The parasite, known as Plasmodium, colonises and destroys red blood cells. It is this process that causes a malaria attack characterised by the sudden onset of:

• fever
• fatigue
• headache
• chills
• vomiting…

The attack can sometimes lead to more severe states such as acute anemia, convulsions, coma or even death.
The risk of complications associated with malaria is largely dependent on immunity against the disease acquired as a result of multiple bites by infected mosquitoes. This immunity develops over several years and requires repeated exposure in order to persist. This is why people with little or no acquired immunity are particularly at risk of complications; in other words: young children, pregnant women, and travellers from countries without malaria.

Malaria in the world

Malaria is considered by the World Health Organization as important a public health problem as HIV-AIDS and tuberculosis. Malaria is the most common communicable disease and affects most tropical and subtropical countries of sub-Saharan Africa, southern and South-East Asia, as well as certain zones of South America. It is estimated that a third of the world’s population lives in areas where malaria is prevalent. Every year, approximately 300 million people suffer a malaria attack leading to 1 million deaths of which the great majority affect children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa.