Malaria

Overview & Synopsis

The many control efforts against malaria have led to averting many but not all malaria-related deaths; thus, malaria remains a major public health challenge, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This suggests that factors permissive of malaria parasite perpetuation are still in operation. An understanding of the dynamics of these factors and sufficient deployment of antimalarial strategies are crucial for the control and elimination of the disease. This book identifies environmental factors supporting vector survival, behavior, and access to human hosts, as well as the phenomenon of asymptomatic malaria infections, as some of the important factors of malaria transmission. It also discusses contemporary developments of malaria diagnostic tools with improved sensitivity, patient friendliness, and minimal requirements for sophisticated equipment or skills. Finally, this book also provides an overview of current insights into the malaria treatment landscape, which depends on the parasite species, disease severity, and drug susceptibility profiles of local parasites, among others.