Chapter 19, Problem 19A

Summary Introduction

To write:

About the ways to prevent or slow down the spread of malaria in a village.

Introduction:

Malaria is caused by plasmodium which belongs to the Apicomplexa phylum of protozoa. Protozoans follow a heterotrophic mode of nutrition and are thus characterized as heterotrophs. In the heterotrophic mode of nutrition, an organism is unable to synthesize their food and depend on others for obtaining nutrients and energy. Protozoans generally ingest other protozoans, algae, and bacteria to obtain energy and nutrition.

Explanation of Solution

Apicomplexans are also known as sporozoans and are characterized by the formation of spores for reproduction during their life cycle. These organisms do not have any such structure that usually gets fossilized.

Plasmodium is transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito which acts as an intermediate host of plasmodium. Malaria is generally spread in subtropical and tropical regions where conditions like rainfall, humidity, and high temperature favor the plasmodium and mosquito growth. The breeding ground of Anopheles mosquito and plasmodium includes stagnant water which can be found in tyre tracks, hoof prints, pond margins, seepages, rice fields, irrigation channels, rainwater pools, burrow pits, and wells.

One of the most important and crucial majors in preventing the spread of malaria is destroying the breeding ground of these organisms or preventing the growth of plasmodium and mosquito by regularly changing any stagnant water source. Some medicines are also available that prevent the growth of these organisms in stagnant water. 

Other preventive measures that could be adopted include the use of mosquito nets, mosquito repellents, insecticide treated nets, insecticide sprays, preventive medicines, and mosquito coils.

Conclusion

To prevent the spread of malaria in a village, the measures that could be adopted include destroying breeding grounds of plasmodium and mosquito, the use of mosquito nets, mosquito repellents, insecticide-treated nets, insecticide sprays, preventive medicines, and mosquito coils.