risk factors for malaria
1. Geography: Malaria is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
2. Travel to endemic areas: People who travel to countries where malaria is prevalent are at higher risk of contracting the disease.
3. Lack of immunity: Individuals who have not been previously exposed to the malaria parasite are more susceptible to infection.
4. Poor housing conditions: Mosquitoes that transmit malaria breed in stagnant water, so living in an area with poor sanitation and drainage increases the risk of exposure.
5. Lack of preventative measures: Not using insect repellent, sleeping under a mosquito net, or taking prophylactic medication when traveling to endemic areas increases the risk of infection.
6. Outdoor activities: Spending time outdoors, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, increases the risk of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
7. Immune compromise: People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy, are at higher risk of developing severe malaria.
8. Pregnancy: Pregnant women are at higher risk of developing severe malaria and complications for both themselves and their unborn child.
9. Genetics: Some genetic factors may affect an individual's susceptibility to malaria infection and their ability to mount an effective immune response.
10. Age: Children under the age of five and the elderly are at higher risk of developing severe malaria and complications.