History of malaria

History of Malaria

Malaria (pronunciation: /məˈlɛəriə/) is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. The term "malaria" comes from the Italian "mal aria," meaning "bad air," as it was once believed to be caused by foul air in marshy areas.

Etymology

The term "malaria" is derived from the Italian words "mal" and "aria," meaning "bad" and "air" respectively. This name was given due to the initial belief that the disease was caused by inhaling bad air from swamps and marshes. It was later discovered that the disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito.

Ancient History

The history of malaria stretches from its prehistoric origin as a zoonotic disease in the primates of Africa, through to the 21st century. Descriptions of malaria-like symptoms can be found in ancient texts from various civilizations such as the Sumerians, Ancient Egyptians, and Ancient Greeks.

Middle Ages to Early Modern Period

During the Middle Ages, malaria was endemic in the marshy areas of Rome and other cities in Italy, southern France, and England. In the 17th century, the quinine, an effective treatment for malaria, was discovered in the bark of the Cinchona tree.

Modern History

In the 19th century, scientists began to understand the cause and transmission of malaria. In 1880, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a French army surgeon stationed in Algeria, was the first to observe parasites in the blood of a patient suffering from malaria. This discovery earned Laveran the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1907.

In the 20th century, efforts to control and eradicate malaria were launched globally. Despite these efforts, malaria remains a significant health threat in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on History of malaria
Wikipedia's article - History of malaria

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History of malaria