Vital Climate Graphics : Potential Impacts of Climate Change
End of series

40. Malaria
Plasmodium vivax, with the Anopheles mosquito as a vector, is an organism causing malaria. The main climate factors that have bearing on the malarial transmission potential of the mosquito population are temperature and precipitation.
Assessments of the potential impact of global climate change on the incidence of malaria suggests a widespread increase of risk due to expansion of the areas suitable for malaria transmission. The predicted increase is most pronounced at the borders of endemic malaria areas and at higher altitudes within malaria areas. The changes in malaria risk must be interpreted on the basis of local environment conditions, the effects of socioeconomic development and malaria control programs or capabilities. The incidence of infection is sensitive to climate changes in areas of Southeast Asia, South America and parts of Africa. In these areas the number of years of healthy life lost may increase significantly.