CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF MALARIA

Malaria is caused by a parasite. The parasite is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. folks that have protozoal infection typically feel terribly sick, with a high fever and shaking chills.

                                       

Each year, approximately 210 million people are infected with malaria, and about 440,000 people die from the disease. 

Causative agent

Malaria will occur if a dipteran infected with the Plasmodium parasite bites you. There area unit four sorts of protozoal infection parasites that may infect humans: malaria parasite, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. falciparum.

P. falciparum causes a a lot of severe type of the malady and people United Nations agency contract this manner of protozoal infection have the next risk of death. An infected mother also can pass the malady to her baby at birth. this is often called non heritable protozoan infection.

Mosquito transmission cycle

Uninfected mosquito: A mosquito becomes infected by feeding on a person who has malaria.

Transmission of parasite: If this mosquito bites you in the future, it can transmit malaria parasites to you.

                             

    

In the liver: Once the parasites enter your body, they travel to your liver — where some types can lie dormant for as long as a year.

Into the bloodstream: When the parasites mature, they leave the liver and infect your red blood cells. This is when people typically develop malaria symptoms.

On to the next person: If an uninfected mosquito bites you at this point in the cycle, it will become infected with your malaria parasites and can spread them to the other people it bites. Malaria is transmitted by blood, so it can also be transmitted through: 

o AN surgical procedure 

o A transfusion 

o Use of shared needles or syringes

Symptoms

Doctors divide protozoal infection symptoms into 2 categories: Uncomplicated and difficult (severe) protozoal infection.

1. Uncomplicated malaria

The most common symptoms are 

• shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe
• high fever
• profuse sweating
• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• diarrhea
• anemia
• muscle pain
• convulsions
• coma
• bloody stools

2. Complicated or severe malaria

This occurs when malaria affects different body systems.

• Severe anemia (due to destruction of red blood cells)
• Kidney failure
• Cerebral malaria
• seizures, 
• unconsciousness, 
• abnormal behavior, or confusion
• Cardiovascular collapse
• Low blood sugar (in pregnant women after treatment with quinine) 

Diagnosis

• Rapid malaria diagnostic test
• Blood film
• PCR( polymerase chain reaction
• Medical test

                               

• Giemsa stain
• Microscopic examination
• ELISA
• Nucleic acid test
• Immunoassay

Treatment 

Malaria are often a critical condition, particularly if you’re infected with the parasite P. falciparum. Treatment for the malady is usually provided in a very hospital. Your doctor can inflict medications supported the kind of parasite that you simply have.

                      

In some instances, the medication prescribed might not clear the infection due to parasite resistance to medicine. If this happens, your doctor might have to use over one medication or modification medications altogether to treat your condition.

Additionally, bound kinds of protozoal infection parasites, such as P. vivax and P. ovale, have liver stages wherever the parasite will live in your body for An extended amount of time and activate at a later date inflicting a relapse of the infection.

If you’re found to have one among these kinds of protozoan infection parasites, you’ll incline a second medication to forestall a relapse within the future.

Prevention 

Research to develop safe and effective world vaccines for protozoal infection is in progress, with the licensing of 1 immunogen already having occurred in Europe. No immunogen is nonetheless authorized within the U.S.

• Take the right type of anti-malarial medicines for the country you are travelling to.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites by sleeping under an insecticide-treated mosquito net.​​
• Wear socks, long pants, long-sleeve shirts and blouses.
• Spray DEET mosquito repellent onto your clothes and the exposed parts of your skin.
• Make sure the room doors and windows are closed properly and screened with gauze to prevent mosquitoes from getting in.
• Spray the room with an insecticide before entering.
• Pregnant women and young children should avoid travelling to malaria-prone areas.