Malaria | The Cure and Prevention of Diseases

Prevention Of Malaria – Tips In Hygiene

Health and hygiene has always been a part of man’s daily routine since ages and its importance has increased with each and every aspect of human development. Disease, most of them is caused due to lack of hygiene. The lesson of practicing proper hygiene should start from an individual, otherwise known as personal hygiene. This will eventually result in good sanitary practices within the house hold and in turn reflects to the immediate surroundings. When every home in a locality becomes successful in this, we see a clean and healthy community.

Even though we cannot completely destroy the disease causing organism of malaria, we can surely stop the spreading of the disease. Malaria is spread by female mosquitoes, which usually lay eggs in still water and multiplies in number uncontrollably. So, to prevent malaria, we should prevent the propagation of mosquitoes, by covering all liquid wastes, drainages and any other sources of standing water. Proper waste disposal and treatment also is very important to complete this task.

Another way is to stay away from mosquito bites! This is not an easy task. But there are several methods that are now available in market, to scare away mosquitoes. Using mosquito nets were the first solution developed during old times. As technology advanced, new products started coming into market which can make your home completely free from mosquitoes. These are mosquito repellent creams that can be applied on the body, coils and mats, and the modern method of putting a fish into still water which feeds on mosquito larvae.

An efficient vaccine for malaria is not yet found, but studies and researches are still going on. Natural immunity is the only way. As medicines for treating malaria is easily available now, it is no longer a deadly disease. Still, if individuals do not give importance to their health and hygiene, there is every chance of malarial death even today.

Filed Under: Preventive Measures Tagged With: Malaria

What Causes Malaria?

Malaria is contracted when an individual is bitten by a malaria infected parasite. There are many types of malaria parasites all of which belong to the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium are small organisms only visible via microscope, there are over 100 species of these organisms and they can bite and infect a variety of species in the animal kingdom including reptiles, birds and a multitude of mammals.

There are only four species of Plasmodium in nature capable of infecting humans. The four species include Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodiam malariae, and Plasmodium falciparum.

Malaria is transmitted via the Anopheles mosquito, which enables the transmission of a Plasmodium parasite to a human via a bite. No other mosquitoes have been discovered to be able to transmit Malaria. Anopheles mosquitoes (also called the “malaria mosquito”) Has to be present and also must come in contact with humans. The mosquitoes act as the host for the Plasmodium parasites. The mosquito acts as the invertebrate host. A human must be available and present with an ability to come in contact with the Anopheles mosquito. When in contact with humans plasmodium parasites have what the need to complete the other half of their cycle of life, the vertebrate host.

Other, less common methods of transmission can occur when an individual comes in contact with infected blood. This can happen via an organ transplant, a blood transfusion, or from mother to child through birth.

In this instance Malaria is still a Plasmodium parasite, only it has spread in a different manner.

Individuals who have been infected with Malaria will experience a wide range of symptoms which can be felt in a mild capacity, a mediocre to more severe capacity and sometimes even death. Malaria disease can be classified in individuals as either not at all complicated or otherwise, complicated. The disease can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated quickly and correctly.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Anopheles mosquito, Malaria, Malaria parasites

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a disease that occurs in the blood and is transmitted amongst individuals via mosquitoes which have become infected with the malaria parasite. Malaria is caused by one out of four different species of single celled organisms called Plasmodium. Plasmodium infects individuals by way of the female Anopheles mosquito which relies on human blood for life.

An individual contracts Malaria after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The mosquito bite injects immature forms of the malaria parasite directly into an individual’s bloodstream where the parasite travels throughout targeting the liver where they stay until they reach the next developmental milestone. Within the next six to nine days the parasites travel from the liver and go back into the bloodstream where red blood cells are invaded. The malaria parasites complete their growth cycle and begin to multiply rapidly. Increasing until the red blood cells burst the parasite then infiltrates the rest of an individuals body attacks other red blood cells and the infection grows and spreads.

Malaria is common all over the world. In the United States individuals are typically put at risk when they travel outside of our country and into tropical or subtropical locales where Malaria has been an issue. There is no vaccination available against Malaria. The only way to prevent the disease whilst traveling is to use anti-mosquito measures and consuming drugs designed for prevention.

People who travel to areas of Central and South America, the Indian subcontinent, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle Eased, Southeast Asia, and Oceania are placing themselves at a greater risk for receipt of the disease. Weather conditions and the number of mosquitoes at a particular locale determine the traveler’s risk.

Malaria parasites are capable of being transmitted via a blood transfusion, or the sharing of needles with an infected individual.

Malaria can be cured if detected and treated quickly enough.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Malaria, Malaria parasites, Sub-Saharan Africa

What’s Malaria?

Malaria is an infection commonly contracted in areas where it is hot and tropical, however on very rare occasions in mild climates. Malaria is caused by one of four single-cell parasites contained within the Plasmodium species.

Mosquitoes carry the parasite from one place to another and infect humans, reptiles and mammals alike. When bitten by a mosquito infected with the parasite the individual then becomes a host. Only in instances of pregnant mother to child is the disease spread person to person, though it can be contracted through a blood transfusion, needle sharing, or organ donation.

Each year between 300-500 million individuals become infected with malaria. The majority of the reported instances happen in sub-Saharan Africa. In these locations almost 2 million individuals lose their lives each year. In the United States and other developed countries Malaria is actually rare with less than 1500 instances being reported each year over the past decade. Many of these instances occurred in individuals traveling outside of the United States, military personnel, and individuals who were infected pre-immigration.

Early detectable symptoms in children could potentially be irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms usually occur in conjunction with a fever, chills, and heavy breathing. The fever could increase gradually over a one to two day period or may rise instantly to 105 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Intense sweating could occur as the child’s temperature decreases to a normal level.

Over the next two to three days the same symptoms may occur in waves or repeat intervals depending upon the severity of the infection and which parasitic species infected the individual in question.

Doctors will typically treat individuals with any symptoms of Malaria without waiting for test results as a simple method of prevention. The infection is deadly and dangerous and many feel it is better safe than sorry.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Malaria, Plasmodium, Sub-Saharan Africa

Nothing But Nets Campaigned Designed to Aid in Reduction of Malaria Cases

Malaria is a disease that is caused by Plasmodium, a blood parasite that is transmitted via mosquitoes. The disease, Malaria is named from the two Latin words for “bad air” mala and aria. This disease is responsible for anywhere from 350 million to 500 million illnesses every year. Over one million deaths (mainly seen in children under the age of five) are caused by this illness.

Particularly prevalent in Africa, ten new cases of Malaria are detected every second. Every 30 seconds a child in Africa loses the fight to Malaria and dies. Refugees in Africa also fall victim to Malaria often.

Nothing But Nets is working in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency in an attempt to send much needed bed nets which have been pretreated with insecticides. The effort has gotten the nets to over one million refugees in 15 countries throughout the continent of Africa.

Forty percent of the world population resides in countries that are malaria ridden. Treatment of Malaria puts a huge strain on the health care systems in the public health facilities of these countries. Deaths from Malaria cost African countries a significant amount of money each year due to lost productivity among workers and the cost of deaths. Malaria causes a decrease in tourism, hinders foreign investment, and affects the production of crops.

In many areas Malaria is under control, in some places in Asia, Europe, and the Americas instances of Malaria are completely eliminated. As the parasites evolve in Africa they are merely becoming more and more resistant to drugs, therefore the number of malaria infections have increased.

Bed nets help with Malaria by creating a barrier of protection against mosquitoes carrying the deadly malaria parasite. These insects tend to bite during the night time hours. Bed nets protect the individuals using them for up to five years.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Africa, Malaria, Margaret Chan, Plasmodium

Preventing Malaria During Travel

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It will be common for the globe trotter to eventually traipse through an area prone to Malaria at some point in time. Travel throughout tropical and sub-tropical areas and even some parts of Eastern Europe you could be potentially exposed to the malaria parasite.

Malaria is a parasite transmitted in the majority of instances via a specific species of mosquito. If an infected mosquito bites an individual they can become infected with the parasite which instantly travels via the bloodstream to the liver and back into the bloodstream.

Individuals who contract malaria usually experience flu-like symptoms including but not limited to high fever, chills, vomiting, jaundice, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headache. Left untreated Malaria is capable of causing dangerous issues and even death. Children, pregnant women and individuals who live in areas where malaria is uncommon are at a greater risk for dying if they contract the disease during travel.

As malaria parasites evolve they are becoming more and more resistant to some of the antimalarial medications on the market.

Travelers are urged to protect themselves in a variety of ways: taking the antimalarial medications which have the greatest chance of providing the highest level of protection for the specific area in which they will be traveling to.

In addition to medicine, there are also non medicinal prevention methods.

All individuals should avoid contact with mosquitoes while visiting areas prone to malaria. People are instructed to utilize effective insect repellent containing DEET to avoid the bite of the mosquito. When outside between the hours of dusk and dawn (the dawn of the mosquitoes day) individuals should cover their arms and legs with light colored clothes in an attempt to reduce the risk of being bitten.

A bed net, which is a net covered in insecticides should be used while sleeping to repel mosquitoes on the blood hunt at night.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health, Preventive Measures Tagged With: DEET, Insect repellent, Malaria, Mosquito

The Impact of Malaria on the Immune System

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After an individual has been bitten and infected with malaria it won’t take long before the individual in question begins to experience the symptoms of malaria (typically anywhere from 10 to 16 days post mosquito bite.) The symptoms typically effect the individual in stages: chills and then a fever and after the fever has passed the patient will experience intense episodes of sweating. The infected individual will also experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and a headache, fatigue and weakness are also common.

An individual might notice the symptoms of malaria coming and going in intervals. When an individual has been infected with the P. vivax malaria and P. ovale malaria individuals will notice a recurring attack about every two days, when infected with the P. malaria every three days will come with an attack. In between attacks a patient might feel perfectly healthy and normal and not show symptoms. Without treatment it is possible for symptoms to subside within a few weeks.

A person who has been infected with P. falciparum malaria will feel horrible the entire time they are infected with no reprieve. Without treatment an individual infected with this strain could potentially die. This strain is so strong because it has the ability to directly infect the red blood cells. When infected with P. palciparum doctors have found that there is a high presence of the parasite levels in the blood. However, with P. vivax only young red blood cells are impacted and the levels of parasite are not as high.

Malaria has a strong impact and effect on the immune system. Even though the immune system works hard to protect the body from an attack via foreign invading parasites and bodies there are times when the body just isn’t capable of fighting off an unknown virus such as malaria.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Immune system, Malaria, Red blood cell

What are the symptoms of Malaria?

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An individual contracts malaria when they are bitten by a mosquito carrying the plasmodium parasite. When an individual is bitten plasmodium enters the blood stream. The result of this bite could potentially be symptoms that range from moderate to severe, and sometimes ends in death. Malaria causes 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths each year.

Symptoms of Malaria

When an individual contracts Malaria they will experience attacks of symptoms in intervals ranging every 48 to 72 hours. There are typically three stages to a malarial attack an individual first experiences the cold stage, then they enter into the hot feverish stage, and then finally ease into the profuse sweating stage.

During the cold stage an individual will be incredibly cool, as a result the individual might shiver, and get a severe headache and an incredibly cold feeling body temperature.

In the hot phase an individual will eel incredibly hot and desire to shed any and all clothing or covering. This is occurring due to an intensely high fever (often times getting up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.) This is incredibly dangerous, especially in children.

After both of those pass an individual will begin to sweat. When an individual’s fever sets heavy sweating begins. The sweating can become incredibly serious soaking the bed and the area around an individual. During this time the subject will feel weak and desire increased amounts of sleep.

These are all symptoms of malaria as they progress in stages. An individual who has been infected by malaria in the past is nearly immune to contracting the disease. So a mosquito bite is not as terrifying or risky. However this is not true of an individual who is not immune to malaria. An individual with no immunity will easily fall victim to the disease if bitten or infected via blood transfusion, needle sharing, or organ donation.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Africa, Malaria, Mosquito, Symptom

Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment

Malaria disease occurs when an individual is bitten by a mosquito carrying the plasmodium parasite. Malaria is currently the reason for anywhere from 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths each year. The majority of these cases occur in children.

An individual is diagnosed with Malaria after experiencing the three phases of symptoms the cold phase, the hot phase, and the fever phase. First the physician would conduct a risk assessment. An individual who had traveled to an area at high risk for malaria would be a prime candidate. 80% of individuals in sub-Saharan Africa will present with fevers and will immediately be considered malaria infected and will be treated for the illness until further tests can be conducted.

Treatment for malaria varies from individual to individual. Each infected party is different. First it depends on the pasmodium parasite which infected the patient, whether the individual is a child, an adult, or even a pregnant female), which drug the parasite is susceptible to. Typically it is determined which drug will be effective based on the area and environmental conditions of the patient and where they might have contracted the infection. Medications for malaria are doled out based on location and environmental factors. Malaria types vary worldwide.

Individuals who have been infected with P. falciparum could potentially lose their life. This is often times due to slowed treatment. It is important for individuals to be treated immediately for symptoms of malaria. Drug treatment isn’t simple for the worst cases of the illness. A patient would need to consult with a physician who is working in the area in which the malaria symptoms initiated.

Malaria is preventable utilizing protective measures such as insect repellent containing DEET, mosquito nets while individuals sleep, shutting all windows and doors during sleep, and additionally taking antimalarial medications pre travel to areas prone to the illness.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Diagnosing, Health Tagged With: Africa, Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, Sub-Saharan Africa

Signs And Symptoms Of Malaria

Malaria is a common problem in the tropical countries. There are various problems that can be associated with the disease. There are many people who even die because of the disease. The disease that is causes by the Plasmodium Falciparum organism is the one that is very severe and can cause death in many cases.

The actual signs and the symptoms of the disease will vary from one person to another and will also vary depending on the type of the parasite that is infecting the person. The spectrum of infection can also vary depending on the kind of malaria that is affecting the person.

There are some common signs of Malaria that will help the clinician to be able to suspect as well as diagnose Malaria. Though confirmatory tests are usually done to test for the presence of Malaria, there are some instances where the facilities may not be available and in these situations, the treatment of malaria is started.

The presence of nausea and vomiting with headache are the common signs that are related to the presence of Malaria. Many people have an increase in the temperature. Though all these signs and the symptoms of the disease point to the fact that the person may have Malaria, the confirmatory test will be the best method of identifying the disease before treating the person for Malaria.

Any person who has recently visited a place that has a high incidence of Malaria should immediately be suspected to have the disease, if they present with the signs and symptoms that have been mentioned here. Since many of the signs and the symptoms of the disease are not very severe, many people tend to take it lightly initially. This causes the disease to worsen leading to severe problems. The signs and symptoms are mainly used in the clinical diagnosis of the disease.

Filed Under: Diagnosing, Health, Preventive Measures Tagged With: Infection, Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum