Is Malaria contagious?
Is Malaria transmitted from person to person? Is Malaria contagious? What are the routes of contagion? People with experience in Malaria help solve this question.
Malaria is not contagious. It cannot be spread from person to person like a common cold or flu. Malaria is transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. These mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite and when they bite a person, the parasite enters their bloodstream. However, it is important to note that if a mosquito bites an infected person and then bites another person, it can transmit the parasite.
Is Malaria contagious?
Malaria is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes. However, unlike many other infectious diseases, malaria is not directly contagious from person to person.
The parasites responsible for malaria are primarily transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a person, it injects the parasites into their bloodstream. The parasites then travel to the liver, where they mature and reproduce. After a few days, the parasites re-enter the bloodstream and infect red blood cells, causing symptoms such as fever, chills, and flu-like illness.
While malaria cannot be spread directly from person to person, there are rare cases where it can be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or the sharing of needles contaminated with infected blood. Additionally, pregnant women can pass the infection to their unborn babies, a condition known as congenital malaria.
Preventing mosquito bites is crucial in reducing the risk of malaria transmission. This can be achieved by using insect repellents, sleeping under mosquito nets, wearing protective clothing, and eliminating mosquito breeding sites.
In conclusion, malaria is not contagious in the traditional sense of person-to-person transmission, but it is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes and can be indirectly transmitted through certain means.
Is Malaria Contagious?
Bacterial Infections 101 Pictures Slideshow
Bacterial Infections 101
Tummy Trouble Quiz
Hepatitis C Slideshow
Medical Author:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medically Reviewed on 8/24/2016
Table of Contents
What is malaria?
Is malaria contagious?
What is the incubation period for malaria?
How is malaria transmitted?
How long does malaria last, and how long will it take to be cured of malaria?
When should people seek medical care for a suspected malaria infection?
1/5
What is malaria?
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites that invade red blood cells. The protozoan parasites are among several species of the genus Plasmodium. This malaria parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes (vectors) to humans through mosquito bites that, during the bite, release parasites into the person's blood. Malaria is characterized by cycles of chills, high fever, and sweating.
Is malaria contagious?
No, malaria is not contagious. Malaria is not spread from person to person and is not sexually transmitted. Malaria is not contagious through casual contact or through kissing. It is not considered a sexual transmitted disease (STD). Malaria is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans. There is one strain of the parasite Plasmodium, P. knowlesi, that can be transmitted from monkeys (macaques) by mosquitoes to humans and is termed "zoonotic" malaria
Posted Dec 22, 2017 by Victoria 100
