Culture and Disease

Culture and Disease - Malaria

Malaria is defined as an intermittent and remittent fever caused by a protozoan parasite that invades the red blood cells. This paper will explore the social and cultural aspects of malaria; the agent of the disease and explain factors of population, modes of transmission, methods being used to control the spread of the disease, and social and cultural influences within the population.

Malaria is a long lasting disease of the blood. It is transmitted to people by mosquitoes infected with the malaria parasite. The parasite will attack the blood and cause recurring chills, fever, and sometimes jaundice or anemia. “The infections agent that causes malaria is by one of four species one-celled parasites, called plasmodium. The parasite is spread to people by the female Anopheles mosquito, which feeds on human blood. Although four species of malaria parasites can infect humans and cause illness, only malaria caused by plasmodium falciparum is potentially life threatening” (DHPE).

Malaria transmissions occur in large areas of Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. The directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) advise “the risk to travelers and individuals varies depending on local weather conditions, the number of mosquitoes in the area, the time, and type of travel” (DHPE). “Changes in temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity due to anthropogenic climate change are expected to influence malaria directly by modifying the behavior and geographical distribution of malaria vectors and by changing the length of the life cycle of the parasite” (Martins et al., 1995).

The principle mode of transmission for malaria is from the bites of the female Anopheles mosquito. “There are more than 480 species of Anopheles, but only about 50 species transmit the disease malaria.” (Malariasite, 2011). “Anopheline mosquitoes have been characterized as anthropophilic...