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About Malaria

malaria risk map

red blood cell infected with Plasmodium vivax malaria 

Malaria is a very serious parasitic disease of the blood which is transmittted by mosquitoes.

Hundreds of millions of people from over 100 countries around the world become sick with malaria every year.
 

Serious cases can result in death and many people around the world are killed by malaria.



Plasmodium ring forms

Malaria is a persistent and recurring infection.

The disease-causing parasite, called Plasmodium, is very complex, with over 5,000 genes.  By comparison, a virus has about 12 genes.

The malaria life cycle involves both insects (mosquitoes) and animals.

plamodium falciparum gametocyte There is much to learn about the host-parasite interactions that lead to malaria illness and control its severity.  This includes investigating the immunity that can protect against the disease and its transmission.

The MaHPIC project is enabling the in-depth study of the disease processes in the blood, attributed to different Plasmodium species, to help prevent and treat malaria.

Since 2008 the World Health Organization (WHO) has been publishing an annual 'World Malaria Report'.

We encourage our viewers to follow the progress and hurdles faced in the fight against malaria by reviewing these publications.

World Malaria Report

Featured Malaria Websites
  



Malaria Challenge a free, interactive malaria education resource created by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

 
Malaria Site all about malaria