Is West Nile Virus the same as Malaria?

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   chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years ago

   Is West Nile Virus the same as Malaria?
   
   Do you think West Nile Virus (mainly found in United States) the same as Malaria which is found mainly in sub-Saharan Africa?

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2. 0

   JThomp42posted 12 years ago

   No. Whereas malaria is an ancient disease, West Nile virus is an emerging infectious disease in the United States.Identified in Uganda in 1937, West Nile virus reached the United States in 1999. Like malaria, West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes.

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   1. 66

      chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The reason why I am thinking they are kind of the same is that they are both infectious diseases and they are both spread by mosquitoes. That is where my confusion is. So West Nile Virus reached USA from where?  Where did it first start?

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      JThomp42posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Read my whole comment. They are definitely not the same. Malaria is caused by a parasite the mosquito carries. West Nile is a Virus carried by a mosquito. Two totally different things.  IF YOU ARE HAVING DOUBTS? Google it?

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      chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks  for taking your time on my follow up question, but I wish you had read my comment  in entirety. I goggled first before asking here. You implied that it might have been transmitted from Uganda to USA hence I was seeking some clarification.

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   crazyhorsesghostposted 12 years ago

   No they are in no way the same. Malaria is caused by a parasite while the West Nile Virus is caused by a virus. Malaria also occurs in the United States though not as often as it once did. I'm 62 and I had malaria as a child in Florida.

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      chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am struggling to believe that they are different. There are four types of malaria in US; ‘Airport’, Mosquito-borne, Congenital, and Transfusion-Transmitted malaria. I agree that these are rare nowadays only about 1,500 are diagnosed each year - CDC

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   2. 89

      crazyhorsesghostposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Malaria is caused by a Parasite ,  Plasmodium falciparum. The West Nile Virus is a virus. West Nile mostly infects birds but it can effect humans and other animals. There is a big difference in a virus or a parasite.

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   3. 66

      chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Crazyhorsesghost. So the vector (agent of transmission) is the same but the disease causing agents is different; a virus for WNV versus a parasite for malaria.

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   Dr Poojaposted 12 years ago

   No west Nile is a virus whereas malaria is caused by a parasite called plasmodium. The disease that is like west Nile is Japanese encephalitis which is caused by a virus belonging to the same family. These viruses belong to the same group called Arboviruses which basically means arthropod or eight legged insets borne virus. Plasmodium although transmitted by Mosquitos which belong to the family anopheles is entirely different.

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      chepkoluumugulelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Dr. Pooja. So it all comes down to the family species of the arthropod(s) responsible for transmission. I had not heard of Japanese encephalitis. That must be a medical term. Does it have another name? Interesting indeed.

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