WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT MALARIA

on

Malaria is a mosquito- borne infectious disease affecting humans and other animals caused by parasitic protozoans (a group of single- celled micro- organisms)

CAUSES OF MALARIA
Malaria is caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium. Four species cause disease in humans; P.
falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. Malaria is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells. Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open. The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time.

IS MALARIA CONTAGIOUS?
Malaria is not  spread from person to person by physical contact. But it can be transmitted from mother to  unborn child (congenital malaria), by blood transfusions, or when intravenous- drug users share needles.

INCUBATION PERIOD
Following the mosquito bite, there is about a seven to thirty day period before symptoms appear (incubation period). The incubation period for P. Vivax is usually 10- 17 days but can be much longer (about one year and rarely, as long as 30 years). P. falciparum usually has a short incubation period (10- 14 days).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
There are various kinds of symptoms showing that one has malaria. The symptoms depend on how severe  the condition is. The symptoms for malaria that is not severe include;
1. Fever
2. Headache
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. General body weakness
Complicated or severe malaria can affect different body systems.
1. Severe anemia (due to red blood cells destruction).
2. Kidney failure
3. Seizures, unconsciousness and confusion.
4. Cardiovascular collapse.
5. Low blood sugar (in pregnant women after treatment with quinine).

TREATMENT
The types of drug and the length of treatment will vary, depending on
  • which type of malaria parasite you have.
  •  whether you're pregnant.
  • age
  • the severity of your symptoms.
Anti- malaria drugs include artesunate, quinine, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, mefloquine and malorone.
MALARIA PREVENTION
1.  Clean your surrounding regularly.
2. Weed your surroundings when bushy.
3. Clean gutters and holes to prevent it getting choked.
4. Use insect repellent to prevent mosquito bite.
5. Sleep under treated mosquito net.
6. Go for regular malaria check ups.

Thanks for reading this article, if you have any information that people need to know about malaria then you can comment and don't forget to share to your friends.
iCare-Gh..................enjoy a healthy life!!!!!!!

Comments

Post a Comment