Malaria

Malaria is a parasitic disease. It is caused by a parasite. Malaria in travellers arriving by air is now an potent cause of death in non-malarious areas. People suffering from malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. At chance for contraction of malaria are nonimmune persons living in or traveling to areas of Central and South America, Hispaniola, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. Nearly 300 million people worldwide are affected by malaria and around 1 to 1.5 million people die from it every year.

It is a severe and sometimes fatal disease which is widespread in many tropical and subtropical countries. Malaria can also be routed indigenously (from a mother to her unborn baby) and by blood transfusions. Malaria can be transmitted by mosquitoes in temperate climates, but the parasite disappears in winter. One category of malaria may cause more serious problems, including heart, lung, kidney, or brain damage and possibly death.

A child with early hallmarks of malaria may be irritable and drowsy, with poor appetite and trouble sleeping. Malaria is not just a disease commonly linked with poverty, but is also a cause of poverty and a major impediment to economic development. Malaria parasites are passed from one person to another through the female anopheline mosquito. Though cases of malaria occur in some parts of the US in people who have not traveled outside the country and have no other known risk factors.

There are four types of plasmodium: P. falciparum (the most dangerous), P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. The species of mosquito which carries the malaria parasites is the Anopheles mosquito. The males do not bequeath the disease as they feed only on plant juices. There are around 380 species of anopheline mosquito, but only 60 or so are capable to transmit the parasite. The treatment for malaria anticipates on where a person is infected with the disease.

Causes of Malaria

The common causes and risk factor's of Malaria include the following:

• The bite of a female Anopheles species mosquito which is infected with 1 of the 4 species of the protozoan genus Plasmodium.
• IV drug users can develop malaria from sharing needles.
• Other less common routes of infection are by blood transfusion and maternal-fetal transmission.
• People who have slight or no immunity to malaria are most at risk for serious illness.
• Anyone who lives in or travels to a country where there are malaria-infected people and mosquitoes is at risk.

Symptoms of Malaria

Some sign and symptoms related to Malaria are as follows:

• Fever and headache.
• Muscle aches, and tiredness.
• Jaundice.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Convulsion.
• Sequential chills, and sweating.
• Diarrhea.
• Aches and pains all over the body (especially the back and abdomen).

Treatment of Malaria

Here is list of the methods for treating Malaria:

• In much of the world, malaria is treated at home with oral medications and fluids. Serious infections require IV drug therapy.
• Doctors occassionally use halofantrine for treatment of malaria, although it's not marketed in the United States.
• Anti-malarial drugs, such as chloroquine or quinine, can be prescribed to people traveling to areas where malaria is prevalent.
• Malarone is a relatively new anti-malarial drug in the U.S. and is a combination of atovaquone and proguanil. It may be recommended over the other drugs mentioned, depending on your destination and the likelihood of mefloquine resistance.
• Commutation blood transfusion is the quickest way to remove parasites.

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