- In 2020, there were 627,000 deaths caused by malaria worldwide.
- Among the few countries that have eradicated this disease are Argentina and China.
- On the other hand, the regions that agglomerate the majority of the cases are Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The development of medicines and vaccines has made it possible to eradicate a large number of diseases. At the same time, there are others that despite efforts are still active. Malaria is a clear example because while in some countries there is a decrease in cases, there are also others where it is still a deadly problem.
How originated?
The medical literature indicates that the first cases of fevers were recorded in the year 2,700 a. C in China. Therefore, it could be related to this disease that to date remains in force in the world.
For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) describes malaria as an acute febrile disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. It is transmitted to people by the bite of infected females of the Anopheles mosquito genus.
There are five species of parasites that cause malaria in humans, of which two are the most dangerous: P. falciparum and P. vivax. The first is the deadliest and also the most common on the African continent. While the second is the one that prevails in the rest of the world.
Main symptoms of malaria
The first symptoms are fever, headache and chills. They all usually appear 10-15 days after the bite of the infecting mosquito. At first they can be mild and therefore difficult to recognize. If not treated, the patient can lead to a serious clinical picture and cause his death in 24 hours.
For its part, in 2020 the number of deaths in the world from this condition was 627 thousand. Of these, 95 percent of the cases and 96 percent of the deaths were concentrated in Africa. While 80 percent corresponded to children under five years of age, according to the WHO.
In accordance with Statistawhile in the year 2000 there were 108 countries where it was considered an endemic disease, by 2021 the number decreased to 84. Despite the progress, almost half of the world population is still classified as “at risk” of malaria.
With this in mind, The regions with the greatest danger are Africa, Asia and Latin America because they are the ones that currently accumulate the majority of cases. While at the opposite point there are countries like Argentina and China because they are one of the few that have eradicated this disease.
On the other hand, it is worth remembering that in 2021 WHO approved the first childhood vaccine in history against malaria. With this, a great advance was obtained because more than 30 years of research and development were necessary until the final version was achieved.
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WHO authorizes the first childhood vaccine in history against malaria