Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is
transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the
parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells.
Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and
usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not
treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the
blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites
have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.
Key interventions to control malaria include: prompt and effective
treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; use of
insecticidal nets by people at risk; and indoor residual spraying with
insecticide to control the vector mosquitoes.