On 25 April, experts emphasized the crucial role of climate in altering the transmission pattern of malaria on World Malaria Day.
The observance on April 25 every year aims to spread awareness about mosquito-borne diseases. This year’s theme is “Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a Fairer World” as many people worldwide lack access to quality, timely treatment, and affordable services for preventing, detecting, and treating malaria.
According to the World Health Organization, malaria claimed an estimated 608,000 lives worldwide in 2022, with 249 million new cases reported globally.
The Lancet study on malaria in 2022 revealed that temperature increases could accelerate the development of malaria parasites, potentially leading to an increase in transmission and burden of the disease. Even a slight rise in temperature of 2-3 degrees Celsius could lead to a 5 percent increase in the population at risk of the disease, which is equivalent to more than 700 million people.
Climate change plays a crucial role in altering the transmission pattern of malaria, especially during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons from June to November. Fresh rain creates water stagnation, providing ideal breeding grounds for malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes. During this period, an increase in mosquito breeding in these water bodies has been observed, leading to a rise in malaria cases.
A recent study by researchers at Florida University demonstrates that various mosquito and parasite symptoms exhibit a nonlinear relationship with temperature, suggesting the possibility of increased transmission capacity in some environments under rising temperatures, while it may decrease in others.
The study published in the journal Nature Communications also suggests that parasites can develop more rapidly at lower temperatures, and their rate of development may be less sensitive to changes in temperature compared to previous assumptions regarding parasite development rate.