Mosquitos, Malaria and Me

Anopheles Mosquito:

Insects; part of the genus of Mosquito and family of Culicidae. Slender bodies, long legs and wings. In this family, along with most mosquito families, the females suck blood (called hematophagy)which make them one of the most effective disease transmitters known to man. In Ghana, the mosquito's most favourite past time is to transmit Plasmodium, the parasite responsible for malaria. Around the world half a billion people get malaria every year and 1 to 3 million people die from this infection.



I'm researching mosquitoes today because the Ghanaian ones are different than the ones I'm used to in Canada. I spent last summer in Canada living in my tent and being outside almost exclusively and dealing with mosquitoes, especially in eastern Manitoba and northern Ontario, was a daily struggle. I think it's fascinating how mosquitoes are merely a nuisance in Canada and even the thought that they can be a death threat to other people evades most Canadians. But the big difference between the two types which became apparent to me immediately, was how difficult these suckers are to kill. Really, these creatures put me to shame. In Canada, a good portion of my ego rested in knowing that I could one-handedly squash a bug, mid-flight, without even looking - I'm that good, like the karate kid. My ego has deflated since my arrival. These mosquitoes are quicker, smarter, smaller and hyperactive. They bite seemingly without even landing... Even attempts at mid-air assassination go unfulfilled - their speed and directionless buzzing make it nearly impossible.

I have a one-up, though, compared to most Ghanaians. My Canadian body, in an attempt to insulate against the blisteringly cold northern Ontario winters, is hairier than most Ghanaians and I think because of that, mosquitoes don't know what to do when they come to my forearms or shins. They can't maneuver through the jungle like their Canadian counterparts, so I am never bitten there... HOWEVER, that means they go for other parts like the soles of my feet. I don't know how they do it, but they do and it is worst place to get bit. It actually stings.

You may wonder why I'm making light of such a situation. At first, that's all I thought about when these flies were about. Since then I've adopted the Ghanaian frame of mind - do what you can to avoid getting bitten, but if you do, don't get freaked out about it. They are very passive when it comes to this and the thought of getting malaria is more associated with inevitability than fear. Luckily, we live in a country where the medications needed are plentiful, and more importantly, the average Ghanaian can afford them. I shouldn't completely adopt their passiveness when it comes to malaria; after all, their exposure has made them less susceptible and their bouts less dramatic. All I know is that I think I had malaria a few weeks ago and it wasn't fun but that's not going to stop me from walking the beach as dusk.