1953 – Malaria, one to three deaths in 16 States, 9 in Texas — 33

–32 States. US PHS Vital Statistics of the US 1953: Vol. II – Mortality Statistics, p. 370.
— 0 AK. US PHS Vital Statistics of the US 1953: Vol. I. …Tables for Alaska, Hawaii…, p. 30.
— 1 HI. US PHS Vital Statistics of the US 1953: Vol. I. …Tables for Alaska, Hawaii…, p. 34.

Narrative Information

Malaria: “Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die. In 2016 an estimated 216 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 445,000 people died, mostly children in the African Region. About 1,700 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year. The vast majority of cases in the United States are in travelers and immigrants returning from countries where malaria transmission occurs, many from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.” (CDC. Malaria. 6-26-2018 update.)

Malaria: “Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells. Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open….The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time. Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live….

“The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to four weeks following the infection. In some cases, symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter the body but will be dormant for long periods of time. Common symptoms of malaria include:
Shaking chills; can range from moderate to severe Abdominal pain
High fever Anemia
Profuse sweating Diarrhea Headache Muscle pain
Nausea Convulsions Vomiting Coma
Bloody stools.” (Healthline. “Malaria.”)

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria. 6-26-2018 update. Accessed 10-7-2018 at: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/malaria/index.html

Healthline. “Malaria.” Accessed 6-18-2018 at: https://www.healthline.com/health/malaria#complications

Public Health Service. U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare. Vital Statistics of the US 1953: Vol. I. Introduction and Summary Tables for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. Marriage, Divorce, Natality, Fetal Mortality and Infant Mortality Data. U.S. GPO, 1955. Accessed 5-31-2023 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/vsus_1953_1.pdf

Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Vital Statistics of the United States 1953, Volume II, Mortality Data. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1955. Accessed 5-31-2023 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/VSUS_1953_2.pdf