The most likely places to catch malaria would be in tropical and sub-tropical countries, especially in the forested parts of Central Africa, Asia, and southern Europe. This is because the female anopheles mosquito, whose bite transmits the diseases, breeds in the warm, stagnant, marshy pools found in those parts.
Malaria is said to derive its name from the Italian for “evil air”. It causes chills, fever and anaemia, and is sometimes fatal. In India a million people are likely to die from it every year.
The first effective remedy for it, quinine, was used in the 16th Century. It is an infusion from the bark of the cinchona tree. Modern drugs, too, have greatly reduced the threat of malaria. In particular the use of sprays on the mosquitoes breeding places has been highly effective.
In 1955 the world Health Organization started a mosquito-eradication programme of benefit to nearly 1,200 million people.
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