I thought malaria was no longer a problem in the United States. Why is NIAID supporting research to create a malaria vaccine?
Although the United States was declared free of malaria in 1949, malaria incidence is increasing worldwide. Malaria-related death rates have doubled over the last 30 years, and at least 1 million people—mostly children under the age of five—die from malaria every year. Although malaria is not endemic in most temperate countries now, there are significant concerns that it may re-emerge as drug-resistant malaria parasites and pesticide-resistant mosquitoes evolve and spread. About 1,300 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year; in 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported seven malaria fatalities. The vast majority of cases in this country are in travelers and immigrants coming from at-risk areas for malaria. Malaria research and vaccine development are essential elements in the strategy to reduce and ultimately eradicate malaria worldwide.
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