Malaria is a rare disease in the U.S., with an estimated 2,000 cases reported each year. The disease is carried by mosquitos, and while it is not a vector-borne disease, it can be spread through human-to-human transmission.
Malaria is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, and 241 million cases were reported worldwide in 2020. The majority of these cases occurred in Africa and South Asia. It is not the most common infectious disease in the U.S., but it can be fatal. If not treated promptly, malaria can cause severe seizures, brain damage, trouble breathing, organ failure, and death.
The symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, muscle pain, red blood cell, and jaundice. The disease can be spread to humans through mosquito bites. People who travel to areas where malaria is endemic are at highest risk of contracting the disease.
How To Prevent Malaria?
Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Covering up your skin can help to reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Using permethrin-treated clothing and gear: Permethrin is an insecticide that kills mosquitoes and other insects. Treating your clothing and gear with permethrin can help to repel mosquitoes and reduce your risk of being bitten.
Sleeping under a mosquito net: Sleeping under a mosquito net can help to protect you from mosquitoes while you are sleeping.
Using a mosquito repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or two-undecanone. These are all EPA-registered insect repellents that have been shown to be safe and effective for use in preventing mosquito bites.
Taking antimalarial medication, if recommended by your doctor: If you are traveling to an area where malaria is common, your doctor may recommend that you take antimalarial medication to help prevent you from getting malaria.
(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).
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