Bug Breakfast in the Bulletin: Malaria

Abstract

Malaria is one of the most important vector borne diseases in the world. Approximately 1 million deaths per year are attributable to malaria with the majority of these being in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. There are four major species of malaria parasites that cause disease in humans. These belong to the genus Plasmodium and of these, Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe disease.