I awaked from my sleep in the middle of the night. Mosquito was so noisy that my ears
were ringing. Perhaps, mosquitoes are the best wake-up call that wakes me from
a deep sleep. However, it is too early… why don’t you buzz around me in the
morning, not at the crack of dawn?
It has
been 8 months since I began taking malaria prophylaxis, and I am free from
malaria so far. Many people do not believe the effectiveness of malaria pills
and suggest to take them at once only when actually contract malaria. Antimalarial
medication is a strong drug that affects liver somatic index badly. I chose to
take those steadily, Malarone and Lariam, but I do not know how long I have to
rely on them enduring various side effects? Anyway, prevention is the best
policy.
Here is an
interesting malaria story that some people eagerly look forward to getting
malaria on purpose by getting 200 malaria-infected mosquito bites.
<Bitten by
200 mosquitoes: Seattle volunteers bare arms in malaria test>
Developing
malaria vaccine is still going on, and continuing research is challenging due
to the stalled grant. Seattle BioMed research lab believes that 200 mosquitoes
bites on the human being’s forearm to study malaria would be the most promising
way to make its vaccine. If you let crazily hungry mosquitoes bite your forearm
for 10 minutes and monitor symptoms during 10 days, you will get paid about
$1,800. Is it a good deal? I would not do it! I did not count, but I might have
been bitten by 300 mosquitoes since I came to Africa last year…? I became
neurotic to mosquitoes, so I deluded myself that I hear a mosquito buzzing
sound when I went vacation in South Korea in December. There should be no
mosquito in that midwinter weather there…
Until we
see malaria-free world, the effort to stamp this tenacious parasite out
completely must go on. Malaria mortality rate in Africa is still high, and it
claimed 584,000 people’s lives worldwide in 2013. Antimalarial medicines are
expensive, so the majority of people in Africa never even dream to take it. At
this moment, vector control at the community level would be the best way to
prevent further malaria transmission in Africa. Insecticide-treated mosquito
nets (ITN) and indoor spraying with residual insecticides (IRS) should be more disseminated,
people needs to know the importance of sleeping under the mosquito nets, not leaving
ITN alone.
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| PHOTOS BY STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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