Impact Malaria is the world s most important tropical parasitic disease, which transmitted through the bite of female mosquitoes. There are four species of the parasite that causes malaria in humans. One of these, Plasmodium falciparum , causes the majority of infections and can lead to death if left untreated. In 1999, an estimated 1.5-2.0 million deaths were the result of malaria and most of deaths occurred in children under five years old. Three to five million new cases occur globally each year.
Malaria affects many developing countries, especially Africa.
Symptoms Malaria is characterized by fever, shivering, pain in the joints, headache, repeated vomiting, generalized convulsions and coma. The parasite lives in red cells and eventually ruptures them, creating anemia. Severe anemia is often the attributable cause of death in areas with intense malaria transmission. If left untreated, the disease progresses to severe malaria such as convulsions and coma. Severe malaria often causes death if there is no treatment.