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Verified By June 11, 2023
In this blog, you will be getting an insight into the risk factors, causes and symptoms of malaria. Also the best treatment of malaria for quick relief for the disease.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease transmitted by a mosquito bite. The causative organism is a parasite called Plasmodium. While the disease is rare in temperate climates, malaria is still prevalent in tropical & subtropical countries. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. There are five different types of malaria-causing parasites that can affect humans.
When the mosquito bites, the parasite is released into the bloodstream. Inside the body, parasites travel to the liver, where they develop and mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream & begin to infect RBC’s. In 48 to 72 hours, the parasites grow inside the RBC’s, causing the infected cells to burst open. The parasites continue to infect other RBC’s, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time. These symptoms include recurrent attacks of chills & fever.
In rare situations, malaria is transmitted from the mother to the unborn child during pregnancy, by blood transfusions, or when intravenous-drug users share needles.
Worldwide approximately 6,60,000 are killed due to malaria each year. The increase in international travel and migration of population, the risk has increased in areas where it does not commonly occur.
It is very common in developing countries, areas with high humidity & moderate temperatures. These include parts of Central & South America, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, Africa, Eastern Europe, and South & Southeast Asia. The deadliest types of malaria are more common in Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year 300-500 million cases of malaria occur & more than 1 million people die of malaria, particularly in developing countries. Most of the deaths are of young children. In Africa, a child dies from malaria every 30 seconds. Because malaria causes severe illness & death, the disease causes a drain on national economies. The disease maintains a vicious cycle of disease & poverty in the poorer nations.
Malaria is caused by a type of parasite known as Plasmodium. The Plasmodium parasite is mainly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which mainly bite at dusk & at night.
There are different types of Plasmodium parasite, but only five types cause malaria in humans.
These are:
Malaria symptoms can be divided into two categories: uncomplicated or complicated malaria.
In this condition symptoms are present, but there are no signs of severe infection or dysfunction of the vital organs. This form can become severe if left untreated, or if the host has lower or no immunity. Symptoms of this type of malaria typically last 6 to 10 hours & reappear every second day. Some strains of this parasite can have a longer cycle or cause mixed symptoms. As symptoms resemble those of flu, they may be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed in areas where malaria is less common.
In severe malaria, clinical or laboratory evidence shows signs of vital organ dysfunction.
Symptoms of severe malaria include:
Severe malaria can be fatal without treatment.
The main risk factor for acquiring malaria is living in or visiting tropical areas where the disease is common. Various subtypes of malaria parasites exist. The varieties that cause the most deadliest complications are usually found in:
People at risk of serious disease include:
Poverty, lack of knowledge, & limited or no access to health care further contribute to malaria deaths worldwide.
Residents of a malaria region may be exposed to the disease so frequently that they acquire partial immunity, which can reduce the severity of malaria symptoms. But, this partial immunity can fade away if you move to a country where you’re no longer constantly exposed to the parasite.
If malaria is diagnosed & treated promptly, a full recovery can be expected. Treatment should begin as soon as the blood test confirms malaria.
Several antimalarial medicines are used to treat the disease. They can also be used to prevent malaria.
Your doctor may suggest using a combination of different antimalarial to treat types of malaria parasites that have become resistant to particular types of medication.
Antimalarial medication is normally given as tablets or capsules. If someone is seriously ill, it will be given as an injection or infusion in the arm in the hospital. Treatment for malaria can make you feel very tired & weak for many weeks.
In a few cases, you may be prescribed medication for malaria before you travel. This is done if there is a risk of you becoming infected with malaria while traveling to an area with a high prevalence of malaria and limited access to medical care.
If you’re pregnant, it’s suggested to avoid traveling to areas wherever there is a risk of malaria.
Pregnant women have an enhanced risk of developing severe malaria, & both the baby & mother could encounter severe complications. It is important to take the right antimalarial medicine if you’re pregnant & unable to postpone/cancel your tour to an area where there is a malaria risk. Some of the medicines used to prevent & treat malaria are unsuitable for pregnant women because they can cause side effects for both mother & baby.
These include
There is a risk of getting malaria if you travel to an affected area. It is important to take care to prevent the disease. Malaria can usually be avoided using the ABCD approach for prevention:
Check whether you need to take preventative malaria treatment for the countries you’re visiting. It is also necessary to visit your general physician or local travel clinic for malaria information as soon as you know where you are going to be traveling. You still need to take precautions to protect yourself from infection if you’re traveling to a risk area, even if you grew up in a country where malaria is common. Nobody has complete immunity to malaria & any level of natural protection you may have had is quickly lost when you move out of a risk area.
To avoid being bitten by the mosquitoes:
There is currently no vaccine readily available that offers protection against malaria, so it is necessary to take antimalarial medication to reduce your chances of getting the disease.
Antimalarials only reduce your risk of infection by about 90%. Therefore taking steps to avoid bites is also important.
Antimalarial medication is used to prevent malaria. The types of antimalarials used to treat or prevent malaria are given below.
A combination of antimalarial medications called chloroquine & proguanil is also available but they’re mostly ineffective against Plasmodium falciparum.
You are always advised of taking antimalarial medicine when traveling to areas wherever there’s a risk of malaria. Visit your general physician or local travel clinic for malaria advice as soon as you know when & where you’re going to be traveling.
It’s necessary to take the correct dose & complete the course of antimalarial medication. If you’re doubtful, ask your general physician or druggist how long you should take your medication.
The chemical DEET is often used in insect repellents. It is not advised for babies who are less than two months old. DEET is safe for older children, adults & pregnant women.
When a mosquito carrying the malaria parasite bites, the parasite is released into the bloodstream and cause malaria
Malaria is spread by a mosquito bite.
Severe malaria
In severe malaria, clinical or laboratory evidence shows signs of vital organ dysfunction.
Symptoms of severe malaria include:
