The Woman with a Malaria Diagnosis in Washington: Could This Be the First Case of Local Infection in the State?
Officials in Washington revealed that a case of malaria was diagnosed in a woman residing in the state. If confirmed, it would be the first known case of locally acquired infection.
The diagnosis on August 2 is of malaria, a disease transmitted by a mosquito and caused by a parasite. State and federal health offices are working to confirm the origin of the infection as per statements released on Wednesday.
The infection was likely transmitted by a mosquito that had bitten someone who was already suffering from malaria due to travel. The woman is being treated and monitored. Symptoms of the disease include fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms can appear up to 30 days after contracting the disease.
In the U.S., malaria cases are usually linked to travel, mainly from visiting places associated with sub-Saharan African countries. The disease is not considered endemic in the U.S., and was actually eradicated thanks to aggressive control measures such as pesticides and improved drainage systems. However, the Anopheles mosquito, which transmits malaria, is present throughout the country, and if it bites or stings someone who is already ill, they can transmit the parasite causing malaria to other people in the area.
Each year, Washington records around 20 to 70 cases of malaria, with about 2,000 cases reported nationwide, according to official estimates. While many are linked to travel, there has been an increase in locally acquired infections in recent times.
In 2023, the U.S. recorded its first locally acquired case of malaria in 20 years. Between May and October of that year, 10 cases of malaria were reported in Florida, Texas, Maryland, and Arkansas.
### Current Situation
Climate change could be driving the incidence of local malaria infections. The parasite causing malaria requires warm temperatures to reproduce, and research suggests that as the planet warms, there will be more cases of this disease in places where it was not previously recorded.
Historically, the U.S. has been the largest donor to global efforts to combat malaria, according to the non-profit organization KFF. However, these initiatives were affected when the Trump administration cut foreign aid programs this year, including the work of the Malaria Initiative, a USAID program launched in 2005 to reduce malaria in countries where the disease is endemic.
As part of the investigation, officials are working with the U.S. Department of Health to trap and analyze mosquitoes. Local authorities emphasize that people in the area where the woman fell ill have a very low risk of contracting malaria.
“The risk of getting malaria in Pierce County remains very low,” said James Miller, a health official in Tacoma-Pierce County. “Malaria is a rare disease in the U.S., and the vast majority of cases in this country occur after exposure in countries with ongoing transmission.”
