What Does Malaria Mean?

Malaria is word of Italian origin. It is derived from the words male aria which bad air. Malaria is a contagious disease that is widespread in subtropical and tropical areas. An astounding 300-500 million people suffer from this disease annually. It is responsible for the deaths of nearly three million people every year in Africa. Sadly most of its victims are young children. It is widely accepted that not only is malaria the result of poverty but it is also one of its causes in addition to being an obstacle to economic development.

Protozoan parasites are usually the cause of this disease. They belong to the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are responsible for the most serious versions of this disease. However other related species like for example the Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae occasionally infect humans.

There are several types of malaria like cerebral malaria, refractory malaria and airport malaria.