Malaria Trivia, Yet Far from Trivial

April 25 is the First World Malaria Day.

You probably know that malaria is spread through mosquitoes, but did you know that it has been used as a treatment for syphilis?

Malaria has been with us a long time and had some interesting roles in history—playing major parts in everything from economic development to military battles.  See how much you know about malaria and how much you know about ways you can fight malaria. Challenge yourself—try to answer all the questions in 30 seconds. (See Answers and Explanations below.)

Malaria Trivia Quiz  All of the following US Presidents had malaria except:   a. George Washington   b. John F. Kennedy    c. Franklin Roosevelt  d. Abraham Lincoln During the American Civil War, malaria accounted for an estimated how many deaths? a. 5,000 b. 8,000 c. 10,000 d. 15,000 True or False: The types of mosquitoes responsible for malaria transmission in the U.S. are still widely prevalent here, meaning that malaria could be reintroduced in the U.S.   About how many people are infected with malaria annually? a. 20-40 thousand b. 600-800 thousand c. 100-200 million d. 300-500 million President Franklin Roosevelt assembled a panel of experts to evaluate the economic impact of malaria in the U.S. They concluded that malaria reduced the output of southern states by: a. 11% b. 25% c. 33% d. 47% It’s estimated that malaria reduces the gross domestic product (GDP) of some African countries by: a. 10% b. 20% c. 30% d. 40% What percent of the research budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American government’s biomedical research center, is spent on malaria research for new treatments, better prevention, and a vaccine?  a. 0% b. 0.3% c. 4.7% d. 9.2% Challenges in malaria control include which of the following? a. Rapid spread of antimalarial drug resistance, i.e., current drugs lose effectiveness and new drugs are continually needed. b. Poverty c. Increased resistance of vector mosquitoes to insecticides (pyrethroid & DDT) d. Lack of an effective vaccine e. All of the above.

Answers and Explanations:

1. C. Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin Roosevelt did not have malaria.
Washington and Lincoln both contracted malaria in their youth—not uncommon in the U.S. before the mid-twentieth century. Kennedy contracted malaria during his military service in World War II.

2. C. 10,000
In the nineteenth century, malaria was common in the United States, particularly the South. During the Civil War (1861-1865), over 1.3 million cases of malaria were reported among the troops. Malaria is still a concern for the military—six of the last seven troop deployments were to malaria endemic regions. 

3. True.
Anopheles mosquitoes, the type that carry malaria, are present throughout the U.S. today, meaning resurgence is possible. As people travel to the U.S. from malaria-endemic areas, there’s a risk of reintroducing malaria. Public health officials have to be on the watch for cases and act to stop malaria’s spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention play a critical role in this. 

4. D. 300-300 million
300 to 500 million people are infected with malaria annually. At least 1 million deaths occur every year due to malaria. Poor, tropical, and sub-tropical areas of the world carry the greatest burden of this disease. The area most affected by malaria is sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 60 percent of malaria cases and more than 80 percent of malaria deaths worldwide. Yet malaria continues to spread around the world. As the climate changes, areas once considered free of malaria are seeing new outbreaks of the disease.

5. C. 33%
Under President Franklin Roosevelt, a panel of experts concluded that malaria reduced the economic output of southern states by 33 percent. In 1938, it was reported that malaria infected more than 2 million people in the U.S. annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was established in 1946 to control malaria in America. On July 1, 1947, thirteen southeastern states and the CDC joined together and began the National Malaria Eradication Program. Malaria was considered eradicated from the U.S. by 1951.

6. C. 30%
Malaria reduces the GDP of some African countries by an estimated 30 percent or $12 billion a year.  Malaria accounts for 10 percent of Africa’s disease burden and as much as 40 percent of public health expenditures in cities where it is endemic. The disease not only affects the workforce, but it also deters investments and holds back tourism because travelers and multinational firms avoid malaria prone regions. Reducing the burden of malaria in endemic countries would not only save lives, but it would also contribute positively to developing countries’ economic stability.

7. B. 0.3%
Only 0.3 percent of the research budget of NIH is spent on malaria research for new treatments, better prevention, and a vaccine—an extremely low funding level given malaria’s global burden. Inadequate funding slows the discovery of new tools to fight malaria and makes it difficult to move promising drug candidates through the research process.  More funding for NIH, particularly for its institutes researching global diseases, can help speed discoveries that could save millions of lives.

8. E. All of the above
Rapid spread of antimalarial drug resistance, poverty, increased resistance of vector mosquitoes to insecticides, and the lack of an effective vaccine all contribute to the challenges in malaria control today.  For lasting progress against malaria, we can’t just focus on one piece of the puzzle—we have to work to address them all.

Click here to join Families USA’s Global Health Network and get news updates and alerts to help us advocate for more research to fight malaria and other global health challenges.

Click here to start learning more about how research funding can make a difference in fighting malaria and other global diseases.

Other Resources:

26 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Malaria

Investing in Global Health Research: Malaria

Families USA’s Global Health Initiative joined the malaria advocacy community in calling on the US Congress to commit to specific leadership steps in the fight against malaria. To read the malaria community statement, click here.

You can do something simple to help now just by playing a game. The UN Foundation and NothingButNets have created a new game called Deliver the Net. Click here to play the game.