Difference between revisions of "51: Malaria"

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{{w|Malaria}} is a {{w|Mosquito-borne disease}} of humans and other animals caused by {{w|protists}} (a type of microorganism) of the genus ''{{w|Plasmodium}}''. It begins with a bite from an infected female {{w|mosquito}}, which introduces the protists, via its saliva, into the circulatory system, and ultimately to the liver where they mature and reproduce. The disease causes symptoms that typically include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or death.
 
{{w|Malaria}} is a {{w|Mosquito-borne disease}} of humans and other animals caused by {{w|protists}} (a type of microorganism) of the genus ''{{w|Plasmodium}}''. It begins with a bite from an infected female {{w|mosquito}}, which introduces the protists, via its saliva, into the circulatory system, and ultimately to the liver where they mature and reproduce. The disease causes symptoms that typically include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or death.
  
It plays on the idea of a {{w|pox party}} where adults bring their children to deliberately expose them to a virus to promote {w|immunity}}. This is commonly done for a childhood disease like {{w|chickenpox}}. But for other child hood diseases this can now be replaced by {{w|vaccines}}. Some of these illnesses are more serious for adults than children. But after contracting chickenpox once (or any of the other childhood disease once), the {w|immune system}} has developed {{w|antibodies}} for it and so is not vulnerable to the virus anymore the body has become immune (except in the case of {{w|shingles}}).  
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It plays on the idea of a {{w|pox party}} where adults bring their children to deliberately expose them to a virus to promote {{w|immunity}}. This is commonly done for a childhood disease like {{w|chickenpox}}. But for other child hood diseases this can now be replaced by {{w|vaccines}}. Some of these illnesses are more serious for adults than children. But after contracting chickenpox once (or any of the other childhood disease once), the {{w|immune system}} has developed {{w|antibodies}} for it and so is not vulnerable to the virus anymore the body has become immune (except in the case of {{w|shingles}}).  
  
 
However, malaria does not work this way, but instead once one has suffered from malaria, it can recur on its own even after apparent healing from symptoms. So having a malaria party would not promote immunity, but only make people sick and further vulnerable in the future.
 
However, malaria does not work this way, but instead once one has suffered from malaria, it can recur on its own even after apparent healing from symptoms. So having a malaria party would not promote immunity, but only make people sick and further vulnerable in the future.

Revision as of 21:33, 30 April 2015

Malaria
The malaria party was David's idea.
Title text: The malaria party was David's idea.

Explanation

In this comic we see four Cueball-like children in party hats with a balloon lying on the ground. (The third child could look a little like Megan, but is is just the string for the party hat that creates the effect of him having hair). As it says their malaria party did no turn out to be fun.

Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease of humans and other animals caused by protists (a type of microorganism) of the genus Plasmodium. It begins with a bite from an infected female mosquito, which introduces the protists, via its saliva, into the circulatory system, and ultimately to the liver where they mature and reproduce. The disease causes symptoms that typically include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or death.

It plays on the idea of a pox party where adults bring their children to deliberately expose them to a virus to promote immunity. This is commonly done for a childhood disease like chickenpox. But for other child hood diseases this can now be replaced by vaccines. Some of these illnesses are more serious for adults than children. But after contracting chickenpox once (or any of the other childhood disease once), the immune system has developed antibodies for it and so is not vulnerable to the virus anymore the body has become immune (except in the case of shingles).

However, malaria does not work this way, but instead once one has suffered from malaria, it can recur on its own even after apparent healing from symptoms. So having a malaria party would not promote immunity, but only make people sick and further vulnerable in the future.

There has been allot of controversy over the MMR vaccine which works against measles, mumps and rubella. Whereas the last two are only dangerous to adults, and only because they can affect the abilities to have children, measles are a very dangerous disease also for children. In the US between 1987 and 2000 there were a 0.3% risk of a fatal complication. It can be much worse in underdeveloped countries. The controversy was based on a claim in an article that was later completely discredited. But this incidence has still caused many parents to keep their children out of this program.

So now parents deliberately take their children to measles parties like the Malaria party here. And although they may become immune if they survive (as opposed to malaria) then there is still a serious risk of death or other complications. And because of this lack of vaccination the advantages of Herd immunity that would else protect infants, the weak and those with a poor immune system from catching these diseases.

This may very well be Randall's way of showing what a "great idea" it is to expose your children (and thus also others) to potentially lethal diseases instead of taking the vaccine.

In the title text Randall attributes this idea to the unknown friend David. He did the same in 42: Geico and 100: Family Circus. He maybe wishes to wash his hands of this weird idea?

Transcript

[People wearing party hats, a discarded balloon to the side.]
We had a malaria party, but it turned out not to be very much fun.

Trivia


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Discussion

They look to be standing up. The black flecks appear to be confetti, and they are all at or below foot level. Their feet and arms do not give the impression of corpses. 108.162.216.32 15:11, 24 June 2015 (UTC)

This entire thing is off. Does anyone else notice that there is no vaccine against Malaria? Thus, the entire discussion about vaccines is pointless. Time for me to do some editing! 173.245.56.142 15:22, 17 October 2015 (UTC)

I don't know if this was part of the explanation that was removed, but as the comic and the explanation allude to and include pox parties, which are often done for infectious diseases that can be vaccinated against, I decided to re-add some vaccination information. I think it ia as much a topic of the comic as Malaria, which is why I put it in a seperate section, similar to the malaria information. Also I think the fact that there is one single time where humanity actually has to be applauded for making something go extinct was in my opinion interesting and cool enough to be included, even if it's perhaps one step removed from the actual comic itself. I actually had to hold myself back to not include a whole story about how they found out that for some wierd reason milkmaids would way more seldom get sick than other people, and find out that most of them had had cowpox, which is relatively harmless (especially in comparison with something like smallpox)and create the first vaccination from the cowpox variant. Actually the word vaccination comes from vacca, the latin ord for cow... so cool.108.162.219.58 04:55, 16 July 2017 (UTC)

The explanation now isn’t much different than the explanation before, most of it was added back later. You can see exactly what was changed with View History. Yes, I know this is from two years ago. Netherin5 (talk) 14:13, 21 March 2019 (UTC)

Surely the joke is that malaria can't be transmitted from one human to another, so being around someone infected with malaria at a "malaria party" wouldn't expose you? It's not contagious, you have to get it from a mosquito, so hanging out with infected humans as depicted would be pointless. -- 172.69.63.38 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

This definitely needs to be mentioned. Calion (talk) 18:28, 19 February 2023 (UTC)

Do you think the joke could be that a malaria party would involve getting bitten by mosquitos? DownGoer (talk) 00:26, 26 June 2023 (UTC)

I’m not sure I agree with the “missing celebrant.” A missing celebrant wouldn’t necessarily leave a deflated balloon in their wake. DownGoer (talk) 00:26, 26 June 2023 (UTC)