{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,11]],"date-time":"2026-07-11T00:04:24Z","timestamp":1783728264656,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]],"date-time":"2023-10-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1696896000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":9,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Health Science Reports"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Malaria is a parasitic infection primarily caused by four main species of the genus <jats:italic>Plasmodium<\/jats:italic>, that is, <jats:italic>Plasmodium falciparum<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Plasmodium ovale<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Plasmodium vivax<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Plasmodium malariae<\/jats:italic>. It is transmitted through the bite of the female <jats:italic>Anopheles<\/jats:italic> mosquito. It holds the status of one of the leading causes of death in the developing world. Malaria is endemic to Pakistan, and the country experienced the worst floods in its history from April to October 2022. The stagnant flood water served as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, culminating in an alarming spike in malaria cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of cases reported till August 2022 was more than in the whole year of 2021. There was more than a twofold rise in cumulative cases in 62 high\u2010burden Pakistani Districts in August 2022 as compared to August 2021.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title><jats:p>This commentary aims to bring this emerging issue to notice and highlight the most effective probable measures to help eliminate and prevent the hazards the current outbreak poses.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Rapid planning and execution are needed to ensure the most efficient and rapid elimination of malaria. To educate the general public, the national government must start public awareness efforts in electronic, print, and social media and deploy solar\u2010powered mobile healthcare units to far\u2010flung areas. Prophylactic and postexposure treatments should be planned because larvicidal preventive measures are less practical in flood\u2010affected vicinities.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The most effective preventive strategy is drug prophylaxis, followed by insecticide\u2010treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and untreated nets. Scientists should intensify their investigations for effective medications to alleviate the malaria burden in Pakistan.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.1620","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,12]],"date-time":"2023-10-12T03:40:45Z","timestamp":1697082045000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Reflections on the surge in malaria cases after unprecedented flooding in Pakistan\u2014A commentary"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3115-5545","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shehroze","family":"Tabassum","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"King Edward Medical University Lahore Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tuaseen","family":"Kalsoom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"King Edward Medical University Lahore Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zaofashan","family":"Zaheer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"King Edward Medical University Lahore Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aroma","family":"Naeem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"King Edward Medical University Lahore Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahmed","family":"Afifi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Benha University Faculty of Medicine Banha Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7480-8975","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laya","family":"Ohadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","volume-title":"StatPearls","author":"Buck E","year":"2022"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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