What are the causes and symptoms of malaria? How can it be prevented and controlled?

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasite Plasmodium. This disease spreads, through the bite of an insect vector, i.e. the female Anopheles mosquito, which feeds on human blood. Its symptoms are:
(i) Fever, headache, nausea and muscular pain.
(ii) Each malarial attack is of 6-10 hours duration and consists of the three stages. These three stages are
(a) Cold stage Feeling extreme cold and shivers.
(b) Hot stage High fever, fast respiration and heartbeats are increased.
© Sweating stage It is due to the pressure released by sweating, temperature of the body goes down.
The only way to prevent malaria is to take precaution against mosquito bites. We can protect ourselves from bite of mosquitoes by the following methods
(i) Mosquito repellent should be used to prevent mosquito bite.
(ii) Mosquito larvae can be killed by sprinkling kerosene oil in open drainage, water coolers or any uncovered water bodies. Adult mosquitoes can be killed by spraying insecticides (e.g. BHC, malathion).
(iii) One should sleep under mosquito nets.
(iv) Wire-gauze should be used on doors and windows of houses to prevent entry of mosquitoes.