File:Malaria patient.jpg

Little girl with suspected malaria seen at the Moronacocha Health Center, in the outskirts of Iquitos, on the Peruvian Amazon. The clinical suspicion was confirmed when the blood smear (being taken here by a health worker) confirmed the presence of malaria parasites. (Image contributed by Dr. Jaime Chang, USAID/Peru.) Malaria must be recognized promptly in order to treat the patient in time and to prevent further spread of infection in the community.