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Malaria

Invitation to participate in our competition! Read this page and learn about health problems for the school children in Kibera. Would you like to take part in our competition? Just answer one of the three questions below. There is a prize for the three best answers! The winner's reply will be posted here together with the names of the three winners. Please send your reply by e-mail to o3v@o3v.dk before March 1 2012. Write "competition malaria" in the subject field. Please write also your name, age, name of your school, and class level. Mosquitoes are active at night. Could you describe a type of clothing that would be ideal for preventing mosquito bites? Malaria is a danger to children in Kibera. When they play near standing water. Two other tropical diseases are found, as well. Do you know the names of these two diseases and how they infect the children? In Kenya, malaria is frequently found in the slum of Kibera. Malaria is not found in wealthier parts of Nairobi. Please explan why an improved standard of living could lead to the elimination of malaria?
Gloser Disease = sygdom Environments (flertal) = miljøer Particularly vulnerable = særligt udsatte Annoying = irriterende Mosquito-borne = båret/spredt af myg Transmitted = overført/spredt Feed on = lever af/æder Parasites (flertal) = parasitter/snyltere Microscopic = mikroskopisk Reproduces = formerer sig Abundance = talrigheden/overfloden Thrive = trives/lever A suitable habitat = et egnet levested Malaria-spreading mosquitoes = malaria spredende myg Polluted water = forurenet vand Waste waters from the households = spildevand fra husholdningerne Open surroundings = åbne omgivelser Drainage channels = dræningskanaler/afvandingskanaler Dug = gravet Drainage = dræning/afvanding Hatch = udklækkes The larvae appear = larverne kommer frem Develop into pupae = forvandles til pupper Prevention, prevent = forebyggelse, forebygge/forhindre Improved sanitation = forbedret hygiejne Drains = afløb Pipes (flertal) = rør Polluted surface waters = forurenet overfladevand Impregnated mosquito nets = imprægnerede myggenet Insect repellent = myggespray Reduce but not entirely prevent = at begrænse men ikke fuldstændigt forhindre Insecticides (flertal) = skadedyrsbekæmpelsesmidler Stagnant waters = stillestående vand Lower the number = begrænse antallet A negative impact = en negative indvirkning Preventive drugs ("prophylactic" malaria medicine) = Forebyggende medicin (”profylaktisk” malaria medicin) Unfortunately = desværre/beklageligvis Medication = at give medicin Avoid = undgå
Tired school children Malaria is a common disease in areas with poverty and pollution. Children in Kibera know malaria all too well. It causes heavy fever, headache, and flu-like symptoms. Schoolchildren may become so sick and tired that they are unable to go to school. In severe cases, malaria may be deadly. Young people are at a high risk of becoming sick. Medical treatment is possible but expensive.
Blood sucking beasts Mosquito bites are not only highly annoying. They are also dangerous! Malaria is a disease carried by mosquitoes. We call it a mosquito-borne disease. The disease is transmitted from one person to another through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. The reason why mosquitoes bite is that they feed on human blood. Some mosquitoes prefer human blood rather than blood from other animals.	(Hungry mosquito) Photo Credit: James Gathany, via Wikimedia Commons
(Parasite among human blood cells) via Wikimedia Commons	Parasites are living beings! When a mosquito bites a person, the person can be infected with a microscopic Plasmodium parasite. The parasite may live for months and years in the blood. It multiplies into a large number of parasites. Each parasite goes through various stages of life. Malaria will finally break out as a severe disease.
Mosquitoes thrive in dirty and stinking waters The Kibera slum is a suitable habitat for malaria-spreading mosquitoes. This is because mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in polluted water. In the Kibera district, kitchen and toilet waste waters from the households are often simply poured out. Drainage channels are dug directly in the dirt. Pools of standing water are formed as soon as the drainage becomes clogged with waste and mud. In the polluted environment, the mosquito eggs easily hatch and the larvae appear. The larvae develop into pupae which live in the water for a couple of days. By nightfall, the pupae turn into stinging mosquitoes! When children play near polluted water in Kibera they also risk to be affected by other health problems. Cholera and typhoid are for example diseases borne by bacteria.	Schreibkraft, via Wikimedia Commons
Prevention is better than cure! Actions that reduce the risk of malaria in Kibera are listed below: Improved sanitation (such as drains in the form of buried pipes) prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the polluted surface waters. Impregnated mosquito nets and use of insect repellent by night fall frighthen the mosquitoes. Insecticides sprayed in the homes and along channels and pools with standing water lower the number of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, insecticides have a negative impact on the environment. Preventive drugs ("prophylactic" malaria medicine) in the form of tablets taken daily or weekly prevent the parasites from developing in the blood. But drugs are expensive and should only be taken during brief periods. The family doctor is a good place to seek advice on the use of medication and other preventive means. Such as a proper dress to avoid mosquito bites.

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Malaria

Invitation to participate in our competition!

Gloser

Tired school children

Blood sucking beasts

Parasites are living beings!

Mosquitoes thrive in dirty and stinking waters

Prevention is better than cure!

New teaching material is out