Malaria is a serious disease that impacts millions globally, predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. It is caused by parasites transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. Understanding its transmission is key to prevention. Malaria is not contagious like the flu or a cold. It cannot be spread directly from person to person through casual contact, sneezing, or sharing food or drinks.
How Malaria Spreads
Malaria transmission occurs when an infected female Anopheles mosquito bites a person. These mosquitoes act as vectors, carrying the parasite from an infected individual to an uninfected one. The cycle begins when a mosquito feeds on a person with malaria, ingesting the Plasmodium parasites present in their blood.
Inside the mosquito, the parasites undergo several developmental stages. Once mature, these infectious parasites, called sporozoites, migrate to the mosquito’s salivary glands. When this infected mosquito bites another person, it injects these sporozoites into the human bloodstream, initiating a new infection. The parasites then travel to the liver, where they multiply before infecting red blood cells, leading to the symptoms of malaria.
Common Misconceptions About Transmission
Many misunderstandings exist regarding how malaria is transmitted. Malaria is not spread by touching someone with the disease, nor through sexual contact. The parasite is not present in saliva, so activities like kissing do not transmit malaria.
It is also incorrect to believe that malaria can be contracted from contaminated food or water, or through the air via coughing or sneezing. While rare instances of transmission through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or from a pregnant mother to her baby can occur, direct human-to-human spread without the mosquito vector is not possible.
Protecting Yourself from Malaria
Preventing malaria primarily involves avoiding mosquito bites, especially in areas where the disease is common. Using insect repellents containing active ingredients like DEET or picaridin is an effective measure for exposed skin. These repellents interfere with a mosquito’s ability to detect humans, providing hours of protection.
Sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) offers a protective barrier during the night, when Anopheles mosquitoes are most active, typically from dusk to dawn. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and long pants, particularly during peak mosquito biting hours, further reduces skin exposure. When traveling to malaria-endemic regions, taking antimalarial medication (prophylaxis) as prescribed by a healthcare provider before, during, and after the trip can significantly lower the risk of infection.