Math 1900-001
A. McDonald
Spring 2008
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Vectorborne Diseases:
1. What is a vectorborne disease?
2. Name three arthropod vectors. Name at least two diseases that each vector is known to carry and
transmit to humans.
3. What is zoonosis?
4. Name two zoonotic diseases. Include both the animal reservior and arthropod vector associated with
zoonotic transmission to human hosts.
5. Why is the epidemiological control of vectorborne disease so difficult?
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Malaria:
1. What is malaria?
2. Name four species of Plasmodium that are known to infect humans and cause malaria. Which of these
species is most lethal?
3. What genera of mosquitoes is responsible for vectoring malaria-causing Plasmodium?
4. What geographic region is most affected by malaria? What continent? What country?
5. Name the species of mosquitoes that are responsible for vectoring malaria-causing Plasmodium in
Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and North America.
6. What percentage of the world’s human population is at risk of contracting malaria?
7. How many humans are infected with malaria-causing Plasmodium each year?
8. How many die from complications associated with infection?
9. When was the last outbreak of malaria in North America? Where did it occur?
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10. Can humans gain immunity from a malarial infection (assuming they survive)? Is this acquired immunity short-term or lifelong? Explain.
11. Is there currently a vaccine for malaria?
12. Name at least two chemotherapies that are currently available for treating malaria.
13. Why have some chemotherapies lost their ability to combat malaria?
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Malaria Epidemiological Modeling:
1. In what fundamental way is malaria epidemiology distinctly different than that presented in SIS and
SIR epidemiology models (i.e. What is missing from these models?)
2. How you propose we resolve this problem?
3. Construct a mathematical model of malaria infectious disease dynamics in a population in which both
human host and vector populations are of constant size.
4. How might you analyze this model?
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