Communicable Disease Medical Definition Assignment - 73

Communicable Disease Medical Definition - Assignment Example It spreads from person to person when a mosquito feeds on human blood (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). According to Stanhope and Lancaster, Malaria affects the liver and Erythrocytes, and it is characterized by high fever and other symptoms resembling those of flu. It mostly affects pregnant mothers and children under the age of five (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). It is one of the key contributors to infant mortality, especially in African countries, where it is responsible for over a million deaths annually. This disease was earlier considered as a tropical disease, but with the advent of global travel, the disease can affect anybody and anywhere as long as they have been to a Malaria prone region (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Malaria infections in the United States occur to those people who have traveled to areas that are prone to the insect carrying the parasite. The government’s efforts in curbing malaria include medical screening at all points of entry, into the country, to e nsure that those who are infected get immediate treatment regimen to prevent further spread of the infection. It has embarked on public sensitization programs to deal with pest control and how to identify the first signs of Malaria. The use of mosquito nets, repellents, and protective clothing has also been encouraged in a number of counties where there are high mosquito populations like Louisiana and Florida. The challenges that are encountered in the prevention and treatment of Malaria are usually people related. The belief that Malaria is a tropical disease makes people and even some doctors misdiagnose the disease as a bad form of flu since most of its symptoms are flu-like. The government is also making efforts to develop a vaccine that can be given to people traveling out of the country. Â