For the first time in 20 years, malaria has been detected in people inside the U.S., only occurring in Florida and Texas, so far.
This has led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue an official health advisory after locally transmitted malaria was identified – four cases in Florida and one in Texas – since May.
These are the first cases of locally acquired mosquito-borne malaria in the U.S. since 2003 when eight cases of locally acquired Plasmodium vivax parasite malaria were identified in Palm Beach County, Florida.
The five recent cases were caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite, which is the most common malaria-causing parasite strain outside of the African continent, and were not connected to any international travel, according to the CDC.
The local spread “certainly raises eyebrows,” Jae Williams, press secretary for the Florida Department of Health told The Tampa Bay Times.
All patients have received treatment and are improving, the CDC said as health officials continue to monitor for new cases. Despite these cases, the risk of locally acquired malaria remains extremely low in the United States, the agency noted. It also recommended Americans take steps to prevent mosquito bites and control mosquitoes at home to protect themselves from any mosquito-borne illness.
Health experts suggest wearing clothing over arms and legs and using bug repellant to prevent mosquito bites. In addition, homeowners are urged to drain any standing water (bird baths, gutters, or any container that could hold water from rain or sprinklers) where mosquito larvae could grow. Pools should be regularly chlorinated. Lakes and ponds can be treated with chemicals to prevent the larvae from growing.
Malaria is a serious and potentially fatal disease transmitted through the bite of an infective female anopheline mosquito.
After infection, the parasites (called sporozoites) travel through the bloodstream to the liver. There, they mature and release another form of parasites, called merozoites. The parasites enter the bloodstream and infect red blood cells, according to the University of Florida Health.
The parasites multiply inside the red blood cells. The cells then break open within 48 to 72 hours and infect more red blood cells. The first symptoms usually occur 10 days to 4 weeks after infection, though they can appear as early as 8 days or as long as a year after infection. The symptoms occur in cycles of 48 to 72 hours.
Health officials advise you should contact your healthcare provider if you develop symptoms related to malaria, so you can be diagnosed, tested, and treated.
Although the potentially fatal disease was once endemic, it was declared eliminated in the United States in 1951. About 2,000 people are diagnosed with malaria in the nation each year, but those cases have involved trips abroad, according to The Washington Post.
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“It’s not panic time,” Brian Grimberg, an associate professor of pathology and international health at Case Western Reserve University told the outlet. “I think the message is to be aware. I mean, Americans never think about malaria unless they travel abroad.”
Amy Vittor, an infectious disease expert at the University of Florida, also echoed Grimberg’s assessment, telling The Times the average person’s risk of contracting malaria is “exceedingly low.”
“Even though there are scattered cases, it doesn’t mean it’s widespread,” she said. “Secondly, our lifestyle as Floridians typically means we’re indoors a lot, especially in the hotter months, which protects us from mosquito bites.”
The CDC recommends:
- Before you travel, learn about the health risks and precautions for malaria and other diseases for your destination.
- If you are traveling internationally to an area where malaria occurs, talk to your healthcare provider about medicines to prevent you from getting malaria.
- If you have traveled to an area where malaria occurs and develop fever, chills, headache, body aches, and fatigue, seek medical care and tell your healthcare provider that you have traveled.
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