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Malaria
Medical Questions » Malaria
| Name: Malaria |
| Also known as: |
| A serious blood parasite infestation that damages liver and red blood cells and is widespread in the tropics. |
Causes of Malaria
The single celled parasite Plasmodium, of which there are four different types (falciparum, malaria, vivax, oval) that cause slightly different types of malaria. Spreads from person to person through a bite from the Anopheles mosquito. During a bite, the mosquito draws a malaria patient' s blood into its belly to be digested, and becomes a carrier to every subsequent person it bites. During a bite a small amount of parasite infested saliva is injected before the blood is drawn up. Found throughout the tropics, but in Indonesia, New Guinea, Thailand, and other south-east Asian and west Pacific nations, a more serious chloroquine resistant form of malaria has developed. |
Symptoms of Malaria
Attacks of severe fevers, sweats and chills every three to four days, the patient becomes very ill, and red blood cells are destroyed to cause jaundice (yellow skin), headaches and muscle pain. Late symptoms include delirium, convulsions, coma and sometimes death. The pattern of fever attacks and temporary recovery varies from one type of malaria to another. Symptoms develop 8 to 30 days after being bitten by a mosquito, but in some cases may not occur for six months or more. |
Tests for Malaria
Diagnosis and the type of malaria confirmed by examining the patient' s blood under a microscope. Because the parasite goes through cycles of infecting the liver and then the blood, it is sometimes necessary to take several tests before it can be detected. |
Treatment for Malaria
Appropriate drugs can slowly cure most cases, but relapses may occur for months or years. No vaccine is yet available, but malaria can be prevented by tablets that are taken either daily (eg. doxycycline) or weekly (eg. chloroquine). Some must be started as much a two weeks before entering a malarial area and continued for up to four weeks after leaving. As an added precaution, use an appropriate insect repellent, and wear long sleeved shirts and slacks or trousers.
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Complications of Malaria of its treatment
Brain infections, extremely high fevers that may cause brain and other organ damage, and gut infections. Black water fever is a complication in which large amounts of blood are passed in the urine (' black water' ) due to the massive breakdown of red blood cells. The patient becomes very anemic, a deep yellow color, feverish and desperately ill. |
Likely Outcome of Malaria
With good treatment, 95% of patients recover, but it kills millions of people in poorer tropical countries every year. With black water fever the death rate exceeds 25%. |
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