Malaria Information You Need
| Basics |
|
Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, problem caused by a parasite. Humans get malaria from the bite of a female anopheles malaria-infected mosquito.
There are four species of malaria, which commonly infect man, namely, P.falciparum, P.vivax, P.malariae and P.ovale.
Malaria occurs in over 100 countries and territories. More than 40% of the people in the world are at risk. Large areas of Central and South America, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania are considered malaria-risk areas. The World Health Organization estimates that 300-500 million cases of malaria occur yearly and more than 1 million people die as a result of malaria.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Symptoms |
|
The symptoms of malaria include:
- High fever accompanied by chills and sweating
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscle Discomfort
- Anemia or decreased volume of red blood cells
- Blood in stool
- Jaundice
- Convulsion or sudden, violent, uncontrollable contraction of a group of muscles
- Coma or diminished alertness or awareness
|
|
| Prevention |
|
Protective clothing over the arms and legs, screens on windows, and insect repellents, should be used to avoid malaria. Chloroquine is the drug prescribed for protection from malaria. Insecticide spraying is also an effective method of killing malarial parasites.
Most people living in malaria-prevalent areas have acquired some immunity to the problem. Travelers, however, will not have immunity and need to take Beneficial Effectsive medications. Beneficial Effectsive medications should also be taken by pregnant women, as the risk to the fetus from the medication is less than the risk of acquiring a congenital Problem created due to harmful organism.
|
|
| Causes |
|
Malaria is caused from the bite of a malaria-infected mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests microscopic malaria parasites found in the person’s blood. The malaria parasite must grow in the mosquito for a week or more before Problem created due to harmful organism can be passed on to another person. If, after a week, the mosquito then bites a person, the parasites are transferred from the mosquito to the person’s blood. The parasites travel to the person’s liver where they grow and multiply. During this time when the parasites are present in the liver, the person does not feel sick. It is after the parasites leave the liver and enter red blood cells; this may take as little as 8 days or as many as several months that symptoms of the problem manifest themselves. Once inside the red blood cells, the parasites grow and multiply once again. The red blood cells burst, freeing the parasites to attack other red blood cells. It is the toxins released into the blood stream by the parasite that make the person feel sick
A few cases of malaria result from blood transfusions. Malarial parasite may also be passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
|
|
| Diagnosis |
|
Provision of early diagnosis is the key to effective Beneficial Effectsof malaria. The diagnostic tests done for the detection of malaria include:
Physical examination: In case of malaria physical examination may show an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) and an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly).
Blood Test: In blood of the patient, identification and presence of malarial parasites or its antigen diagnose Malaria.
|
|
| Dietary Guidelines |
|
Look to juices. Prefer the intake of liquids. |
|
| Home Care Suggestions |
|
Avoid going out without protective clothing, especially in the evenings. Whereever you go see that your body is properly covered. Don’t wander near pools that are not properly kept. Avoid sitting under trees, in the garden, or very near to bushes. |
|
| Mind/Body Considerations |
|
Allow the body to relax. A tense mind may aggravate the problem. |
|
| Additional Information |
|
Echinacea shows beneficial effects on malaria. 1,
2 Geranium is a valuable herb that is a good mosquito repellent and reduces the chances of mosquito bites. 3 Horse Chestnut exhibits healthful effects on malaria. 4 Pau'Darco provides its favorable effects on illnesses
due to microorganisms. 5 |
|
|
| Disclaimer |
|
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any disease. |
|
|
|