Climate change futures: health, ecological and economic dimensions

HEALTH IMPACTS
Malaria is characterized by intense fever, sweats and
shaking chills, followed by extreme weakness. Chronic
states of infection exist for most forms of malaria, producing
anemia, periodic fevers and often chronic disability.
Plasmodium falciparum is the most lethal form
of malaria and is the main parasite circulating in
Africa. There is evidence that shifts in the types of
malaria are occurring in some nations, with a growing
percentage of mosquitoes carrying P. falciparum in
Venezuela and Sri Lanka (Y. Rubio; F. Amerasinghe,
pers. comm. 2002).
Previous estimates from the World Health Organization
state that 300-500 million cases of malaria occur
worldwide every year and estimates of annual deaths
range from one to three million (Sachs et al. 2001;
WHO 2001). The true impact on mortality may be
double these figures if the indirect effects of malaria
are included. These include malaria-related anemia,
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), respiratory distress
and low birth weight (Breman 2001).
Approximately 11% of all years of life lost across sub-
Saharan Africa are due to malaria (Murray and Lopez
1996) and a study in 2002 suggests that the falciparum
parasite caused 515 million cases of malaria
that year (Snow et al. 2005). In sub-Saharan Africa,
malaria remains the most common parasitic disease
and is the main cause of morbidity and mortality
among children under five and among pregnant
women (Freeman 1995; Blair Research Institute
1996).
Figure 2.3 Debilitated man suffering from malaria
35 | INFECTIOUS AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Image: Pierre Virot/WHO
CASE STUDIES