The Epidemiology of Malaria Disease

Abstract or Introduction

Malaria is one of the life-threatening infectious diseases whose impacts are experienced in the global healthcare systems. It is known to cause deaths in both endemic and non-endemic regions. Ordinarily, malaria disease I found predominantly within the tropical and subtropical regions where climatic conditions favor survival and transmission of the parasite. Some of the regions where malaria occur are Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and southern Asia.

In regard to the impact of malaria, the disease causes enormous disease burden to the global population. Globally, more than 200 million cases are reported every year. Epidemiological reports indicate that 3.3 billion people from 106 countries and territories experience a high risk of malaria transmission. However, the greatest burden of malaria disease occurs in the African region. In 2010, this region accounted for 91% of the global malaria deaths, whereas South-east Asian region and Eastern Mediterranean region recorded 6% and 3% of deaths, respectively.

However, it is worth noting that, malaria causes a significant percentage of deaths in non-endemic areas. For instance, in the US, its prevalence reached the highest level in 2011 since 1971. However, most U.S. residents acquired the disease from tropical countries where it is endemic. Epidemiological reports indicate that 70% of malaria cases in 2011were acquired from tropical countries, primarily in Africa.