Malaria - All You Need to Know
Malaria Definition:
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, transmitted by mosquitoes. This parasite infiltrates red blood cells in the human body and destroys them.
The incubation period :
The incubation period for the disease ranges from 7-30 days.
How does a mosquito transmit Malaria?:
Malaria is transmitted between humans through the bites of the Anopheles mosquito that carries it, called malaria vectors, which bite primarily between dusk and dawn.
Other causes of Malaria:
A person can get malaria in ways other than being bitten by mosquitoes; By exposure to infected blood in the following cases:
- Blood transfusions from an infected person.
- Sharing needles with an infected person.
Symptoms:
Symptoms begin to appear within weeks of being bitten by mosquitoes, and the period may extend to about a month, and symptoms include recurrent attacks of:
- High body temperature and shivering.
- heavy sweating
- headache.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
Diagnosis:
- Diagnostic and treatment services in the early stages contribute to alleviating the disease and preventing deaths from it, as well as reducing its transmission.
- The World Health Organization recommends that, before giving treatment, all suspected malaria cases should be confirmed by a diagnosis that confirms the presence of the parasite (either by microscope or a rapid diagnostic test).
- Results of that test can be available in 15 minutes or less.
- Treatment based on symptoms only should be given when a diagnosis that confirms the presence of the parasite cannot be made.
Treatment:
There is a group of medicines used to treat malaria in the world, used according to the type of parasite detected and the location of infection; Since some of these medicines have developed resistance against them by parasites, they cannot be used.
Group of antimalarial drugs:
- Chloroquine
- Quinine sulfate
- Hydroxychloroquine (Hydroxychloroquine)
- Mefloquine
- A combination of atovaquone and proguanil.
Prevention:
- Mosquito control.
- Taking the possible means to protect against mosquito bites, such as wearing long-sleeved clothes, covering the legs in places where insects are prevalent, and using repellent creams.
- Putting netting of narrow openings on doors and windows; To prevent entry of insects.
- In the case of the use of mosquito nets to sleep outside the house.
- Avoid traveling to places where malaria is common as much as possible
- Be sure to take medicines to prevent malaria in the event of a need to travel to malaria-endemic areas by taking the prescribed preventive dose one or two weeks before traveling, during the period of stay in those areas, and for four weeks after returning.
- Filling in ponds and getting rid of mosquito breeding places contributes to protecting you from malaria and limiting its spread.
Complications:
In most cases of people with malaria, one or more complications of the disease:
- Fluid builds up in the lungs, causing breathing problems.
- Liver or kidney failure or spleen rupture.
- Anemia.
- Swelling occurs in the brain and atrophy of its cells, and cerebral malaria causes coma.
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