Pierce County woman diagnosed with malaria, possibly infected in WA
Pierce County woman diagnosed with malaria, possibly infected in WA
Health officials in Pierce County are investigating whether a woman who was recently diagnosed with malaria was infected in Washington state.
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Health officials are investigating a possible locally acquired case of malaria after a Pierce County woman was recently diagnosed with the disease.
What we know:
The woman, who was confirmed to have malaria on Aug. 2, had not traveled recently. It's possible she was infected in Washington, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Health officials from the Washington Department of Health and CDC are determining potential sources of the infection. If confirmed, it would be the first known locally acquired case of malaria in Washington.
The most likely cause is a mosquito biting someone who was infected with malaria after traveling abroad, and then passing the infection to the patient.
"The risk of getting infected with malaria in Pierce County remains very low," said Dr. James Miller, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Officer. "Malaria is a rare disease overall in the United States—and the vast majority of cases in the United States occur following exposures in countries with ongoing transmission."
What to know about malaria
Dig deeper:
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, which typically causes fever, chills, body aches, headaches, and fatigue, along with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In most cases, malaria symptoms begin 7-30 days after infection. Malaria does not spread directly from one person to another.
Anopheles gambiae mosquito feeding, Anopheles gambiae mosquito. A malaria and Zika Virus vector. Parasite. Image courtesy CDC/James Gathany, 1994. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).
The U.S. sees between 2,000 and 2,500 malaria cases each year linked to travel, with Washington seeing about 20-70 reports each year. The U.S. previously saw its first locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria case in 2023, the first in 20 years.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is working with the DOH to trap and test mosquitoes in Pierce County. Currently, mosquito populations are decreasing in the county.
What you can do:
Malaria can be cured with prescription antimalarial drugs, but can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated quickly. The best way to prevent malaria is to avoid mosquito bites with insect repellent and long-sleeved clothing, and ensure early diagnosis and treatment of cases in returning travelers.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
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