Malaria

Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease 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.

The symptoms of malaria include:

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 disease. Travelers, however, will not have immunity and need to take preventive medications. Preventive 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 infection.

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 infection 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 disease 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.

Provision of early diagnosis is the key to effective cure of malaria. The dianostic 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

Look to juices. Prefer the intake of liquids.

Avoid going out without protective clothing, especially in the evenings. Where ever 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.

Allow the body to relax. A tense mind may aggravate the disease.