Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Malaria

Malaria is a vector-borne contagious disease caused by protozoan parasites. It is well-known in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Every year, there are approximately 515 million cases of malaria, killing between one and three million people, the majority of whom are young children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is generally related with poverty, but is also a cause of poverty and a major hindrance to economic development.

Malaria is one of the most common contagious diseases and an enormous public health problem. And it is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Only four types of the plasmodium parasite can transmit a disease to humans; the most serious forms of the disease are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, but other related species (Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae) can also affect humans. This group of human-pathogenic Plasmodium class is generally referred to as malaria parasites.