Malaria FAQ

How do insecticide-treated mosquito nets save lives? Insecticide mosquito nets offer protection while children and families sleep. The nets kill mosquitoes or prevent them from biting. When nets are used correctly, they can cut malaria transmission by 90 percent. Help Compassion provide lifesaving mosquito nets to families in need!

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How does Compassion teach families to prevent malaria? Compassion teaches families how to use mosquito nets properly. Through your gifts to the Malaria Intervention Fund, we also teach families how to treat their homes with insecticide, which kills mosquitoes.

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How is malaria transmitted? People usually get malaria after being bitten by an infected Anopheles mosquito. Malaria also can be transmitted through organ transplants, blood transfusion or by sharing needles. A mother also can transmit malaria to her infant before or during delivery.

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What is malaria? "Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, shaking chills and flu-like illness. Four kinds of malaria parasites can infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. Infection with P. falciparum, if not promptly treated, may lead to death. Although malaria can be a deadly disease, illness and death from malaria can usually be prevented." (Source: www.cdc.gov/malaria, December 2007)

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Why is malaria so common in Africa? The Anopheles gambiae mosquito, the principal malaria mosquito, is prominent south of the Sahara. Lack of resources such as medicine and mosquito nets combined with an unstable government make prevention programs a challenge. This leaves hundreds of thousands of African children at risk. You can give a child in Africa a new beginning. Learn more about sponsoring a child at risk.

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