Malaria is a disease that affects humans, but it is not spread through direct person-to-person contact like a cold or the flu. You cannot contract malaria by touching someone who has it, sharing their food or drink, or being near them when they cough or sneeze. The transmission of malaria involves a specific biological process, which differs significantly from how common contagious illnesses spread.
Understanding Malaria Transmission
Malaria is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests the parasites with the blood. These parasites then undergo a part of their life cycle within the mosquito, maturing over approximately one week. After this maturation, the infected mosquito can transmit the parasites to another person when it bites them, injecting the parasites through its saliva. The parasites then travel to the liver, where they multiply before infecting red blood cells.
While mosquito bites are the most common way malaria spreads, there are other, less frequent methods of transmission that involve direct contact with infected blood. These include blood transfusions, organ transplants, and sharing contaminated needles. Additionally, malaria can be passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn infant either before or during delivery, a condition known as congenital malaria. Casual contact, such as physical touch or sexual contact, does not transmit malaria.
Preventing Malaria Transmission
Preventing malaria focuses on avoiding mosquito bites, especially in areas where the disease is common. Using insect repellents containing active ingredients like DEET or picaridin on exposed skin helps deter mosquitoes. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, particularly during dusk and dawn when Anopheles mosquitoes are most active, provides a physical barrier. Sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets offers protection at night, as these nets are designed to repel or kill mosquitoes. Ensuring that windows and doors have intact screens also helps prevent mosquitoes from entering living spaces.
Travelers to regions with malaria risk can take antimalarial medications, known as chemoprophylaxis. These medications suppress the parasite’s development, preventing the onset of the disease. Beyond individual actions, community-level efforts contribute to prevention, including indoor residual spraying of insecticides and managing larval sources by eliminating mosquito breeding sites. To prevent blood-borne transmission, it is advised to avoid sharing needles. In medical settings, strict adherence to safe blood handling and screening practices for transfusions and organ donations minimize risk.