Malaria facts
What is malaria?
Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease spread by mosquitoes and caused by a parasite. Malaria was a significant health risk in the U.S. until it was eliminated by multiple programs in the late 1940s. The illness presents with flu-like symptoms that include high fever and chills.
There are three necessary aspects to the malaria life cycle:
Is malaria contagious?
Malaria can spread without a mosquito. This occurs rarely and is usually found in a transmission from the mother to the unborn child (congenital malaria), by blood transfusions, or when intravenous-drug users share needles.
What causes malaria?
Parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause malaria. Although there are many species of Plasmodium, only five infect humans and cause malaria.
P. falciparum: found in tropical and subtropical areas; major contributor to deaths from severe malaria
P. vivax: found in Asia and Latin America; has a dormant stage that can cause relapses
P. ovale: found in Africa and the Pacific islands
P. malariae: worldwide; can cause a chronic infection
P. knowlesi: found throughout Southeast Asia; can rapidly progress from an uncomplicated case to a severe malaria infection
What are risk factors for malaria? Is it possible to prevent malaria?
The prevention of malaria includes several steps.
First, evaluate if malaria is a concern in the area of travel (CDC malaria information by country table). This table will also indicate which medication to take as chemo prophylaxis.
If chemo prophylaxis is recommended, discuss the recommended medications with a health-care professional to determine if they are appropriate. Take into consideration any medical conditions, drug interactions with current medication taken on a continual basis, as well as side effects of the recommended medications.
No medication is 100% effective, and therefore the prevention of mosquito bites is of paramount importance. These preventive measures should include the following:
What are malaria symptoms and signs?
Malaria has a wide spectrum of symptoms. After the bite by the infected mosquito occurs, it can take between seven and 30 days before symptoms start.
Malaria is classified as uncomplicated or complicated (severe).
Uncomplicated malariaThe most common symptoms are
The classic description of a malaria attack (which is rarely observed), would be a six- to 12-hour period of cold and shivering alternating with fever and headaches and then a stage of sweating and tiredness (sometimes divided into the cold and hot stage).
As these symptoms are very nonspecific, it is important to evaluate if the patient has risk factors for malaria (usual travel in endemic areas).
Complicated or severe malariaThis occurs when different body systems are affected by malaria.
How do physicians diagnose malaria?
The symptoms of malaria can mimic many other diseases, including influenza or a viral syndrome. It is therefore important to inquire about a history of recent travel to an endemic area or other possible exposures.
The definite diagnosis is made by looking at the blood of an infected patient under the microscope (blood smear) and identifying the presence of the parasite. The patients' blood is prepared under a slide with a specific stain to help identify the parasite. This is the most widely performed and accepted test.
Rapid diagnostic tests (antigen tests) are available that can give the diagnosis in a few minutes. It is recommended that a positive test is followed with a blood smear examination.
What is the treatment for malaria?
Besides supportive care, the medical team needs to decide on the appropriate antibiotics to treat malaria. The choice will depend on several factors, including
Physicians will administer the medication in pill form or as an intravenous antibiotic depending on above factors.
The most commonly used medications are
What causes malaria?
Parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause malaria. Although there are many species of Plasmodium, only five infect humans and cause malaria.
P. falciparum: found in tropical and subtropical areas; major contributor to deaths from severe malaria
P. vivax: found in Asia and Latin America; has a dormant stage that can cause relapses
P. ovale: found in Africa and the Pacific islands
P. malariae: worldwide; can cause a chronic infection
P. knowlesi: found throughout Southeast Asia; can rapidly progress from an uncomplicated case to a severe malaria infection
What are risk factors for malaria? Is it possible to prevent malaria?
The prevention of malaria includes several steps.
First, evaluate if malaria is a concern in the area of travel (CDC malaria information by country table). This table will also indicate which medication to take as chemo prophylaxis.
If chemo prophylaxis is recommended, discuss the recommended medications with a health-care professional to determine if they are appropriate. Take into consideration any medical conditions, drug interactions with current medication taken on a continual basis, as well as side effects of the recommended medications.
No medication is 100% effective, and therefore the prevention of mosquito bites is of paramount importance. These preventive measures should include the following:
What are malaria symptoms and signs?
Malaria has a wide spectrum of symptoms. After the bite by the infected mosquito occurs, it can take between seven and 30 days before symptoms start.
Malaria is classified as uncomplicated or complicated (severe).
Uncomplicated malariaThe most common symptoms are
The classic description of a malaria attack (which is rarely observed), would be a six- to 12-hour period of cold and shivering alternating with fever and headaches and then a stage of sweating and tiredness (sometimes divided into the cold and hot stage).
As these symptoms are very nonspecific, it is important to evaluate if the patient has risk factors for malaria (usual travel in endemic areas).
Complicated or severe malariaThis occurs when different body systems are affected by malaria.
How do physicians diagnose malaria?
The symptoms of malaria can mimic many other diseases, including influenza or a viral syndrome. It is therefore important to inquire about a history of recent travel to an endemic area or other possible exposures.
The definite diagnosis is made by looking at the blood of an infected patient under the microscope (blood smear) and identifying the presence of the parasite. The patients' blood is prepared under a slide with a specific stain to help identify the parasite. This is the most widely performed and accepted test.
Rapid diagnostic tests (antigen tests) are available that can give the diagnosis in a few minutes. It is recommended that a positive test is followed with a blood smear examination.
What is the treatment for malaria?
Besides supportive care, the medical team needs to decide on the appropriate antibiotics to treat malaria. The choice will depend on several factors, including
Physicians will administer the medication in pill form or as an intravenous antibiotic depending on above factors.
The most commonly used medications are
Source: http://www.rxlist.com
Source: http://www.rxlist.com
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