Who is at risk for malaria?
Step 1: Go to the ArcGIS Online map, Slowing Malaria, and explore the map.
Shaded regions show where over 41 species of mosquitoes can survive and spread malaria.
- What countries or regions have environments that will not support the Anopheles mosquito?
- Over 3.2 billion people live in areas where these mosquitoes could survive. With over 7.6 billion people on the earth, what percentage of the world is at risk of malaria?
Where is the highest risk of death by malaria?
Step 2: On the Details pane, click the button, Show Contents of Map.
Step 3: Clear the checkbox for the layer, Dominant Mosquito Vector Worldwide.
Step 4: Click the checkbox for the layer, P. falciparum Distribution. Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest parasite that causes malaria.
- What environmental factors enable this parasite to survive in this region?
- Which region has the highest endemicity (disease intensity)?
Step 5: Zoom to Kenya.
- Why are some areas malaria-free (gray on the map)?
What progress has been made to reduce malaria in Africa?
Step 6: Turn off the map layer, P.Falciparum Distribution.
Step 7: Click the checkbox to the left of the layer name, Endemic African Countries.
Step 8: Zoom out to view Africa. Turn on and off the Endemic African Countries layer for years 2000 and 2015.
- Malaria has decreased by roughly 40 percent from 2000 to 2015? Use the legend to understand the map symbology better.
Some possible ways to control malaria include pesticide use such as DDT, personal sprays like DEET, and insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs).
The use of ITNs is the most critical factor in children. Turn on the layer Endemic Africa: P. falc. Incidence for 2000 or 2015. Click on several of the countries to compare the relationship between ITN use and where malaria is decreasing.
What other factors affect malaria?
- How might climate change affect endemicity?
Step 9: Turn off the layer, Endemic Africa, and turn on the layer, Sickle Cell.
Step 10: Pan the countries and brainstorm about why the sickle cell allele persists in certain regions.
Does endemicity affect the control of malaria?
Step 11: Turn off the layer, Sickle Cell.
Step 12: Turn on and off the layers, Endemic Africa: P. falc. Incidence (2000-2015).
Step 13: Using the search field above the map, search for the country Ghana.
- Click on the country. What is the percent of change in incidence from 2000 to 2015?
Models predict that countries with an endemicity (sustained without external sources of infection) of less than 40 percent can control malaria with extensive use of ITNs.
Step 4: Click several of the countries and try to predict whether they will need additional control measures.