Malaria is a potentially serious infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is both preventable and treatable.
Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease that in large areas of the world, mainly in the tropical parts of it. Though preventable and curable, unless timely diagnosis and treatment are performed, malaria often progresses from mild into a severe one and causes death.
Malaria is not contagious; it cannot be spread by direct contact with an infected person. Infection is provided only through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Humans can become infected with malaria continuously after exposure to an infected area. Five species of the genus Plasmodium cause malaria in humans:, and are considered fatal. More than 400 species of the genus are known, but about 40 of them can transmit this disease.
The risk of malaria transmission varies between regions, with the main variations concerning the type of mosquitoes circulating and seasonal variation, but it is more likely in tropical regions of the world during the rainy season.
WHO IS AT RISK?
Vulnerability to severe malaria includes but is not limited to infants and children under five years, pregnant women, and people with HIV/AIDS. Migrants, travelers, and populations new to high-malaria areas, especially those without prior immunity or preventative treatment, are at increased risk.
In malaria endemic areas, a small number of people develop partial immunity due to long exposure, reducing severe disease but not conferring complete protection. Thus, most malaria deaths in Africa are among young children, but in areas of low malaria transmission, all age groups are at risk.
SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS OF MALARIA
Symptoms usually develop after an incubation period of about 10-15 days after the infecting bite. The classical early symptoms consist of fever, headache and chills. These symptoms may be mild and be indistinguishable from the initial stages of other illnesses. In endemic areas persons with partial immunity may get infected without symptoms, also known as asymptomatic infections.
The most serious forms of malaria can include life-threatening complications of multi-organ failure in adults and severe anemia, respiratory distress, or cerebral malaria in children. Other Plasmodium species may also cause illness and, on occasion, death.
Diagnosis of malaria involves blood tests, which include the detection of parasites. Two of the more common methods of diagnosis are: microscopic examination of blood smears and rapid diagnostic tests. These tests help doctors to clearly distinguish malaria from other febrile conditions for correct treatment.
Malaria is a curable disease, and the mainstay of treatment involves Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies. ACTs work by a combination of two drugs-one containing artemisinin that is derived from the plant Artemisia annua, reducing parasite levels quickly in the first three days, and another drug for eliminating the residual parasites. ACTs also work more effectively against the most dangerous malaria parasite called Plasmodium falciparum.
Malaria may be prevented by several key strategies:
1. Vector Control Interventions: This is the most common way malaria is prevented, by trying to control the mosquito population. This includes:
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs): These are bed nets impregnated with insecticides that prevent bites during sleep and kill mosquitoes attempting to feed.
Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS): This is the method of spraying insecticides on the surfaces where mosquitoes rest, like walls and ceilings.
The use of ITNs is the most effective strategy for preventing infection among travelers. WHO maintains a current list of recommended vector control products that have been evaluated through a process of safety and efficacy.
2. Chemopreventive Therapies: Many antimalarial drugs used to treat infected people are also prescribed as preventive drugs. The WHO-recommended methods for malaria chemoprevention in endemic areas include:
- Intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women and children
Chemoprophylactic drugs are also indicated for travelers coming into the malaria-endemic area, and these are most effective when combined with insecticide-treated nets.
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