News & Blog Archives - Malaria Free Uganda

What is Malaria?

mfuadmin — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:53:07 +0000

Malaria is an infectious disease in tropical countries. It is spread by mosquitoes. It is manifested by fever along with chills and rigors. Unless it is diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single mosquito bite may be enough to cause the infection.

Symptoms of malaria

Features of malaria include high fever over 38C (100.4F) along with chills and sweating. There is intense muscle pain, headache, blurring of vision, and dizziness. Some patients may develop diarrhea and vomiting as well. Symptoms develop within seven days after being bitten or may take between 10 to 15 days to appear.

High-risk areas for malaria

Malaria is found mainly in tropical countries all around the world. It is seen in large parts of Africa and Asia, Central and South America, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, some Pacific islands, such as Papua New Guinea, and some parts of the Middle East.

Malaria is not seen commonly in the United Kingdom. In the United States, around 1,500 cases of malaria are reported every year. Worldwide around 3.3 billion people live in areas at risk of malaria transmission in 106 countries and territories.

In 2010, according to the World Health Organization, there were 216 million episodes of malaria and 655,000 deaths worldwide. Of these deaths around 91% were seen in the African Region, followed by the South-East Asian Region (6%), and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (3%). About 86% of deaths globally were in children.

Causes of malaria

Malaria is caused by a type of parasite known as Plasmodium. This is a microscopic parasite that is transmitted by certain species of mosquitoes. Although there are numerous types of Plasmodia parasites, only four cause malaria in humans. These include:

Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium malariae

There is a fifth species causing malaria in humans. It is called Plasmodium knowlesi. It is distributed across South East Asia and is often misdiagnosed as P. malariae. The infection has a potentially more serious and even life-threatening course.

The Plasmodium parasite is mainly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are night-biting mosquitos.

Diagnosis and treatment of malaria

Malaria is diagnosed by looking at blood samples. The parasites are visible under the microscope. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment should be begun promptly. Almost all individuals make a complete recovery.

Anti-malarial medication is used both to treat and prevent malaria. The type and duration of drugs depend on the type of malaria, its severity, and if the patient is pregnant.

Malaria can sometimes become complicated. Some of the complications include:

severe anaemia
cerebral malaria
malaria during pregnancy
spleen rupture
acidosis
kidney damage
multi-organ failure etc.

These are more common with malaria caused by P. Falciparum.

Prevention of malaria

Malaria can be prevented by taking several simple precautions. Awareness of the risk of malaria in high-risk zones is the first step to preventing malaria. Mosquito bites can be prevented by using covered clothes and mosquito repellents.

While traveling to a malaria-endemic zone, antimalarial tablets may be prescribed to prevent contracting malaria. Immediate diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications and death.

The post What is Malaria? appeared first on Malaria Free Uganda.

Causes of Malaria

mfuadmin — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:52:34 +0000

Malaria is caused by a parasite belonging to the Plasmodium family. The parasite can be spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

There are numerous types of Plasmodium parasites, but only five types cause malaria in humans. These include:-

Plasmodium falciparum

This type is mainly found in Africa and is a common cause of complicated and fatal malaria worldwide

Plasmodium vivax

This is common in Asia and Latin America. The symptoms caused by this type are less severe than Plasmodium falciparum, but it can stay in the liver for up to three years, which can result in relapses and repeat episodes.

Plasmodium ovale

This is a relatively uncommon type of malaria usually found in West Africa. This can stay in the liver for years without obvious symptoms.

Plasmodium malariae

This is a rare type of malaria found in Africa

Plasmodium knowlesi

This was initially thought to be the same as Plasmodium malariae but was later found to be distinctly different in its course which may be life-threatening. It is found rarely and seen in some parts of Southeast Asia.

Malaria spread

The Plasmodium parasite is spread by the female Anopheles mosquitoes. These are night-biting mosquitoes that bite between dusk and dawn. The male mosquitoes do not bite and do not feed on human blood as the female mosquitoes do. Once the mosquito bites a person infected with malaria, it can also become infected and spread the parasite on to others.

In the mosquitoes’ gut, the parasite develops into sporozoite forms. These sporozoites remain in the mosquito saliva from where they infect the human.

The sporozoites enter the bloodstream and go into the liver. The infection develops in the liver and the multiplied parasites re-enter the bloodstream. The sporozoites then form merozoites. This time they infect the red blood cells.

In certain species, the sporozoites may lie dormant in the liver (when they are known as hypnozoites). The parasites grow and multiply in the red blood cells. At regular intervals of around 48 to 72 hours the infected blood cells burst, releasing more parasites into the blood. Each time they burst there is a bout of fever, chills, and sweating.

The parasite remains in the blood in the form of gametocytes to be taken up by a non-infected mosquito. In the mosquito’s gut, the gametozytes fuse to form zygotes or sporozoites (sexual reproduction). The mosquito then transmits it to another individual. Thus the life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite is complete.

Malaria can also affect pregnant women living in high-risk areas. There is a high risk of complications in this situation. The risk of premature birth, stillbirth, and miscarriage also rises.

The post Causes of Malaria appeared first on Malaria Free Uganda.

Malaria Prevention

mfuadmin — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:51:52 +0000

Malaria is a preventable and curable disease. Awareness and precautions, especially before traveling to an area endemic for malaria, are important for the prevention of malaria. Travelers are most susceptible to bringing back infections. For example in 2010, over 1,700 travelers were diagnosed with malaria after returning to the UK. Most of these cases were acquired in Africa.

Four-step approach to prevention

There is a four-step approach to the prevention of malaria:

1. Awareness of the risk of malaria and the risk of complications associated with it is the first step in prevention. Travelers to areas with a high incidence of malaria need to be aware of their risk and take adequate precautions.

2. Prevention of mosquito bites. A single bite is enough to transmit malaria infection. Adequate protection against mosquito bites is important. Simple measures like wearing covered clothes, using a mosquito net, and using an insect repellent help in preventing bites. Complete avoidance of bites is not possible however the number of bites may be reduced as much as possible.

All travelers and residents of high malaria risk areas are advised to stay indoors especially after dusk and keep doors and windows screened or closed to mosquitoes. A mosquito net especially ones treated with insecticide help prevent bites during sleep.

An insect repellent should be used on the skin and around the sleeping area. Those applied over the skin need to be re-applied frequently. The most effective repellents contain diethyltoluamide (DEET) and are available in sprays, roll-ons, sticks, and creams.

Covered clothes also help prevent bites. Light-colored, loose-fitting, trousers, rather than shorts, and shirts with long sleeves are preferable particularly during the early evening and at night when mosquitoes prefer to feed.

3. Antimalaria tablets for prevention of infection. A complete course of prescribed medication before, during, and after travel is important in the prevention of acquiring infections. This is called chemoprophylaxis and is useful for travelers.

Antimalarials are not 100% effective so taking steps to avoid bites is also important. Commonly prescribed drugs include Chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine, and atovaquone plus proguanil (Malarone), etc. Chloroquine needs to be taken for four weeks after return from travel. Malarone may be taken for one week after return.

4. Immediate diagnosis after the onset of symptoms helps prevent complications of malaria. Symptoms could appear after a year of traveling and this needs to be considered while diagnosing and treating malaria.

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