Malaria
Malaria is a sickness which is commonly caused by a parasite which is transmitted to human’s beings through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People with malaria experience high fever and chills, and the disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, infecting nearly 290 million people annually and causing over 400,000 deaths each year. To prevent malaria health programs, provide preventive drugs and bed nets to protect people from mosquito bites. Travelers can also protect themselves by wearing protective clothing.
Symptoms of malaria include
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
In some cases, malaria can cause cycles of attacks that begin with shivering and chills. Severe complications like cerebral malaria, breathing problems, organ failure, anemia and low blood sugar can lead to death especially in children under age of 5.
When to seek medical help for malaria?
Seek medical attention if you experience a fever while living in or after traveling to a high-risk area. Complications of malaria can be severe and life threatening including cerebral malaria.
If you have a fever while living in or after traveling to a high-risk malaria region, it’s important to speak to your doctor. Severe symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency. Even though partial immunity may lessen the severity of malaria symptoms, this immunity can disappear if you move away from the parasite.
Malaria complications
Malaria can be fatal, especially if caused by plasmodium species found in Africa. Most malaria deaths occur in African children under the age of 5 due to serious complications such as cerebral malaria, breathing problems, organ failure, anemia, and low blood sugar. In some cases, milder forms of malaria can persist for years and cause relapses.
How to prevent malaria?
To prevent malaria, you should take steps to avoid mosquito bites, such as covering your skin with long-sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent to exposed skin. Bed nets treated with insecticides can also be used to prevent mosquito bites while sleeping. If you’re traveling to an area where malaria is common, talk to your doctor ahead of time about taking medicines.
What measures should you take if you are travelling to malaria prone areas?
To avoid malaria people living in or traveling to areas where the disease is prevalent should take measures to avoid mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing using insect repellent and sleeping under a mosquito net. They can also take preventive medicine and use malaria vaccine recommended by the world health organization.
Preventive measures can be taken before, during and after traveling to a high-risk malaria area. Many common drugs used to treat malaria may be ineffective due to parasite resistance.
Is there any malaria vaccine? A malaria vaccine has been recommended for children who live in countries with high numbers of malaria cases, and researchers are still developing and studying malaria vaccines to prevent infection.