Things you need to know about malaria<\/p>\n
What is malaria?<\/p>\n
Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease caused by a
\nparasite. There are four kinds of malaria that can infect humans:
\nPlasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.<\/p>\n
Where does malaria occur?<\/p>\n
Malaria occurs in over 100 countries and territories. More
\nthan 40 percent of the people in the world are at risk. Large
\nareas of Central and South America, Hispaniola (Haiti and the
\nDominican Republic), Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast
\nAsia, the Middle East, and Oceania are considered malaria-risk
\nareas (an area of the world that has malaria).<\/p>\n
How common is malaria?<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization estimates that yearly 300-500
\nmillion cases of malaria occur and more than 1 million people die
\nof malaria.<\/p>\n
How do you get malaria?<\/p>\n
Humans get malaria from the bite of a malaria-infected
\nmosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests
\nmicroscopic malaria parasites found in the person's blood.<\/p>\n
The malaria parasite must grow in the mosquito for a week or
\nmore before infection can be passed to another person. If, after
\na week, the mosquito then bites another person, the parasites go
\nfrom the mosquito's mouth into the person's blood. The parasites
\nthen travel to the person's liver, enter the liver's cells, grow
\nand multiply. During this time when the parasites are in the
\nliver, the person has not yet felt sick. The parasites leave the
\nliver and enter red blood cells; this may take as little as eight
\ndays or as many as several months.<\/p>\n
Once inside the red blood cells, the parasites grow and
\nmultiply. The red blood cells burst, freeing the parasites to
\nattack other red blood cells. Toxins from the parasite are also
\nreleased into the blood, making the person feel sick. If a
\nmosquito bites this person while the parasites are in his or her
\nblood, it will ingest the tiny parasites. After a week or more,
\nthe mosquito can infect another person.<\/p>\n
Each year in the United States, a few cases of malaria result
\nfrom blood transfusions, are passed from mother to fetus during
\npregnancy, or are transmitted by locally infected mosquitoes.<\/p>\n
What are the signs and symptoms of malaria?<\/p>\n
Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness,
\nincluding shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.
\nNausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause
\nanemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes)
\nbecause of the loss of red blood cells. Infection with one type
\nof malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may
\ncause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and
\ndeath.<\/p>\n
How soon will a person feel sick after being bitten by an
\ninfected mosquito?<\/p>\n
For most people, symptoms begin 10 days to four weeks after
\ninfection, although a person may feel ill as early as eight days
\nor up to a year later.<\/p>\n
Two kinds of malaria, P. vivax and P. ovale, can relapse; some
\nparasites can rest in the liver for several months up to four
\nyears after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito. When
\nthese parasites come out of hibernation and begin invading red
\nblood cells, the person will become sick.<\/p>\n
How is malaria diagnosed?<\/p>\n
Malaria is diagnosed by looking for the parasites in a drop of
\nblood. Blood will be put onto a microscope slide and stained so
\nthat the parasites will be visible under a microscope.<\/p>\n
Any traveler who becomes ill with a fever or flu-like illness
\nwhile traveling and up to a year after returning home should
\nimmediately seek professional medical care. You should tell your
\nhealth care provider that you have been traveling in a malaria-
\nrisk area.<\/p>\n
Who is at risk for malaria?<\/p>\n
Persons living in, and travelers to, any area of the world
\nwhere malaria is transmitted may become infected.<\/p>\n
What is the treatment for malaria?<\/p>\n
Malaria can be cured with prescription drugs. The type of
\ndrugs and length of treatment depend on which kind of malaria is
\ndiagnosed, where the patient was infected, the age of the
\npatient, and how severely ill the patient was at start of
\ntreatment.<\/p>\n
How can malaria and other travel-related illnesses be
\nprevented?
\n* Visit your health care provider four to six weeks before
\nforeign travel for any necessary vaccinations and a prescription
\nfor an antimalarial drug.
\n* Take your antimalarial drug exactly on schedule without missing
\ndoses.
\n* Prevent mosquito and other insect bites. Use insect repellent
\non exposed skin and flying insect spray in the room where you
\nsleep.
\n* Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, especially from dusk
\nto dawn. This is the time when mosquitoes that spread malaria
\nbite.<\/p>\n
Sleep under a mosquito bednet that has been dipped in
\npermethrin insecticide if you are not living in screened or air-
\nconditioned housing.<\/p>\n
-- www.cdc.gov<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/things-you-need-to-know-about-malaria-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }