Question

Describe the chain of infection of malaria to analyze how it is spread. Describe how you can break the chain of malaria as well

Answer 1

The causative agent of malaria is Plasmodium and it is transmitted by bite of infected female Anopheles mosquito.

Chain of infection

• Infected female anopheles mosquito bites and injects sporozoite into human
• Sporozoite then migrate to liver and initiate exoerythocytic schizogony to form merozoites which then infect RBC and initiate erythrocytic schizogony (which is repeated every 48 - 72 hours, causing fever)
• Some merozoites form male and female gametocyte, which are then ingested by another mosquito during her blood meal (bite).
• Male gametocyte fertilize female gametocyte and this lead to formation of zygote. Zygote further develop into motile ookinete, which penetrate stomach wall of mosquito and develop into sporozoites which then migrate to salivary gland of mosquito. When mosquito bites another human then this cycle is repeated.

To break the chain we have to apply some intervention like

• Eliminating mosquito - this will eliminate the plasmodium and will end chain of transmission. This can be done by use of insecticide, genetic methods, killing larva, eliminating breeding of mosquito
• Elimination of parasite plasmodium
• Use of mosquito nets and repellent (for personal protection) - this will ensure that mosquito doesn't bite and therefore transmission among human will decrease.

Feel free to comment if you have any problem in understanding this answer.