I am Malaria, an infectious disease. Every year I kill approximately one point three million humans, and infect another 350-500 million. My work is mostly in the tropics where favorable climates and lifestyles aid in my process. Over 85% of deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. Do I have your attention?
Why I exist – I exist because as a result of the protozoan parasite. My mode of transit between humans for transmission is by mosquitos. Mosquitos are favorable as they are vast and persistent in their work, as I am in mine. Although everyone is vulnerable to my attacks, it is pregnant women and infants under the age of five that I have the most success with. A french army doctor names Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran first discovered me, and was awarded the Nobel prize for Physiology in 1907. (I am still waiting for my turn to win the award). It was Alphonse, Charles that was the first person to be able to describe my life cycle, as I develop in the bodies of mosquitos and of my many human hosts.
Do you have me? – Your starting to get a feeling for who I am; but how do you know if you have me? Trust me you’ll know! I can cause several...