MALARIA

OVERVIEW

Malaria is a potentially deadly mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Symptoms caused by malaria usually include fever, tiredness, vomiting and headache. In severe cases, malaria can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. The symptoms of an infection from a mosquito usually start about ten to fifteen days after being bitten. Without proper treatment, the disease can return months later. In people who have recently survived an infection, reinfection usually causes milder symptoms than the original infection did. If a person does not continue to be exposed to malaria, their partial resistance to the disease will disappear over time.

Malaria is a common disease in developing countries.

The word malaria is derived from the Latin word “mal-aria,” meaning bad air. Ronald Ross first discovered the transmission of malaria by mosquitoes while working in India (Secunderabad, AP) in 1897. Malaria is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world. It is still one of the leading sources of disease burden in terms of death and suffering among all infectious illnesses. they kill almost one million children in developing countries each year, accounting for half of all malaria fatalities worldwide. And threatens about 95% of the Indian population.

Malaria is most commonly found in areas with environmental conditions such as warm temperatures, high humidity, and ample rainfall. Malaria is most commonly spread in warm, humid environments. Malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum cannot complete its life cycle in the Anopheles mosquito at temperatures below 20°C (68°F), so it cannot be transferred between mosquitoes. Anopheles mosquitoes can live and reproduce, and  parasites can complete their life cycle in mosquitoes if they have enough time (extrinsic incubation time). If you live in an area with high infestation  and may be experiencing doubts as to whether you have contracted malaria, type “clinic near me” in the Google search box to get a checkup done today.

MALARIA TRANSMISSION CYCLE:

Malaria can be spread through a number of different means. For example, people can catch malaria from exposure to infected blood, including from a mother to her unborn child, through blood transfusions, organ transplant, and through sharing needles used to inject drugs.

• Malaria is caused by a parasite of the genus Plasmodium. The parasite is most commonly transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. 
• A mosquito begins the transmission cycle by biting an uninfected individual. Mosquitoes infect malaria-infected people by biting them. 
• The transmission of a parasite can be a serious problem for your health. Future bites from this mosquito may infect you with the malaria parasite. 
• In the liver, the cells process food and waste to produce energy and essential chemicals. When parasites enter your body, they travel to your liver. Some types of parasites can lie dormant in your liver for up to a year. 
• As parasites mature, they leave the liver and migrate to your red blood cells. the symptoms typically develop around this time, and on to the next person.
• If you are bitten by an uninfected mosquito at this point in your malaria infection cycle, you will become infected and can spread the malaria parasites to other people. 

To learn more about the process of malarial infection, talk to a healthcare professional. Type “clinic near me” in the Google search box to get more information.

SYMPTOMS

Malaria symptoms and signs may include:

• Fever
• Chills (often the first sign of )
• A general sense of unease
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Breathing quickly
• High heart rate
• Cough Vomiting and nausea
• Diarrhea
• Pain in the abdomen
• Muscle or joint discomfort

Some malaria patients endure periods of malaria episodes during which they are more prone to develop symptoms. Sweating normally returns to normal when the fever has subsided. Malaria symptoms often appear after a few weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito. The length of time that various  parasites can remain latent in your body varies. Do schedule an appointment today with a healthcare professional; type “clinic near me” in the Google search box to get a checkup done today if you are showing a cluster of these symptoms.

RISK FACTORS

• Genetic factors such as Sickle Cell Trait, Duffy, Blood Group, etc.
• The largest risk factor for contracting this is living in or visiting malaria-endemic areas. Among these are the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa’s Sub-Saharan region, southeast and South Asia, the Pacific Islands and Northern South America and Central America.
• Pregnancy
• Low socioeconomic factors such as poverty-stricken rural populations in malaria-endemic areas, standing water in irrigation ditches or burrow pits can serve as larval breeding grounds, exposure  to an area with high malarial transmission as a result of war, migration, and tourism, agricultural work such as harvesting, done at night which may lead to an increased exposure to mosquito bites, and raising domestic animals near the home gives Anopheles mosquitoes with other blood supplies, reducing human exposure.

If you are at risk of , and seem to be showing symptoms, do not wait for it to develop into something worse. Type “clinic near me” in the Google search box to get your symptoms checked at the earliest.

COMPLICATIONS

• Cerebral malaria: If parasites are present in your blood, they may block small blood vessels in your brain, which could lead to swelling of your brain or even brain damage. It can be caused by a phlegm-type ailment.
• Organ failure:  It can cause damage to the kidneys and liver, or break the spine. Any of these conditions could be life-threatening.
• Breathing problems: Fluid buildup in your lungs (pulmonary edoema) can make breathing difficult.
• Low blood sugar levels: Severe malaria, as well as quinine, a frequent malaria treatment, can produce low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Very low blood sugar can result in coma or death.
• Anemia. It can cause a lack of red blood cells, resulting in an insufficient delivery of oxygen to your body’s tissues (anemia).

Some  parasite strains, which normally cause milder forms of the disease, can live for years and produce relapses.

 PREVENTION

Take steps to avoid mosquito bites. 

• Cover your skin by wearing long-sleeved clothing and full pants, typically tucked into your socks.
• Apply insect repellant to your skin and clothing. Use an insect repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency on any exposed skin. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone are examples. Avoid spraying your face with it. Children under the age of three should not be exposed to OLE or PMD-containing products.
• Use mosquito nets while sleeping: There are bed nets treated with insecticides, such as permethrin, to help prevent mosquito bites while you are sleeping.
• Get vaccinated: The World Health Organization has endorsed a malaria vaccine for use in children living in endemic nations.

For more preventive measures about this , type “clinic near me” in the Google search box, so that you can get an expert opinion from a doctor.

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