Malaria in South Africa

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Malaria in South Africa

Malaria, a life-threatening disease, is brought about by parasites which are transmitted to human beings through bites of infected mosquitoes. In South Africa, the malaria endemic is high in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Kruger Park and the Maputaland coast in KwaZulu Natal. Although this is a preventable and curable disease, malaria remains to be one of the most deadly diseases in South Africa. According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (2014), malaria resulted in a projected 627000 deaths among African children in 2012. However, through increased prevention and control methods, the malaria burden has dramatically been reduced in most of these areas.

A report by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases estimates that in 2012, there were over two hundred million cases of malaria and a projected 627000 deaths (National Institutes of Communicable Diseases, 2014). Malaria is brought about by plasmodium parasites that are spread to human beings through bites by the Anopheles mosquitoes. Often referred to as malaria vectors, the Anopheles mosquitoes bite and infect people between sunset and sunrise. The intensity of malaria transmission is highly dependent on factors that are associated with the plasmodium parasite, the environment, the vector and the human host. Throughout the world, there are about seventy anopheles species that are capable of spreading malaria, twenty of which are central malaria vectors. In South Africa, the Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus are the primary malaria vectors. Water serves as a fundamental breeding ground for the Anopheles mosquitoes, with each breed having its own breeding inclination. For instance, Anopheles arabeinsis, which is the primary vector in South Africa, prefers breeding in shallow stagnant water such as hoof prints and puddles, while other species such as Anopheles funestus prefers permanent water bodies. Malaria transmission is intensive in...