Malaria
Alternative Names
Malaria, Quartan malaria, Falciparum malaria, Biduoterian fever, Blackwater feve, Tertian malaria, PlasmodiumWhat is Malaria
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites. It involves high fevers, shaking chills, flu-like symptoms and anemia. It is mainly extended in tropical and subtropical regions in parts of America, Africa and Asia.
Signs and symptoms
The main symptoms of Malaria:
- Vomiting
- Bloody stools
- Chills
- Coma
- Convulsion
- Fever
- Anemia
- Headache
- Jaundice
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
Possible complications
The Complications of Malaria could be:
- Brain infection (cerebritis)
- Destruction of blood cells (hemolytic anemia)
- Kidney failure
- Liver failure
- Meningitis
- Respiratory failure from fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
- Rupture of the spleen leading to massive internal bleeding (hemorrhage)
What causes
Malaria is spread by a Plasmodium parasite which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body the parasites multiply in the liver and then infect red blood cells. There is the only type of mosquito that can cause malaria- Anopheles .This mosquito becomes infected by biting an infected person and drawing blood that contains the parasite. When Anopheles bites another person, that person becomes infected.
Prevention
Prevention of malaria involves:
- protecting yourself against mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing over the arms and legs, using screens on windows and using insect repellent.
- taking antimalarial medicines (It depends on the area you visit, because most people who live in areas where malaria is common have gotten some immunity to the disease. )
Treatment
Medical cure should be sought immediately.The effectiveness of antimalarial drugs depends on different species of the parasite and on different stages of the parasite's life cycle. Your druggist will prescribe the recipe for your individual condition.
The most important drugs are:
Quinine, mefloquine, primaquine, pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine (fansidar),chloroquine and doxycycline.
