Malaria is a disease caused by the bite of a tropical mosquito (Anopheles), which transmits a parasite.
Risk factors. Malaria causes nearly 3 million deaths worldwide every year, of which 75% are children living in endemic areas of Africa.
Symptoms. Fever, joint pain, headaches, repeated vomiting and, in severe cases, seizures and coma. If not treated, malaria becomes worse and can cause death.
Extending access to diagnosis and more effective treatments is necessary in underdeveloped countries.
Treatment. In case of fever, a clinical exam is necessary to look for other symptoms, such as headaches or joint pain. To confirm the diagnosis, the parasite can be found in blood tests under the microscope.
Malaria is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female mosquito of the genus Anopheles, which is passed into the bloodstream where it reproduces. If another mosquito bites that person, the parasite infects that insect and the cycle continues.
Risk factors. Malaria causes nearly 3 million deaths worldwide every year, of which 75% are children living in endemic areas of Africa.
The disease is a problem mainly in developing countries with warm climates. If you travel to these countries, you are at risk of becoming infected.
Consult your doctor about medications that protect you:
- Use insect repellents with DEET.
- Cover up.
- Sleep under a mosquito net to protect against bites.
Most cases of malaria are caused by four species of the parasite Plasmodium. Of these, the Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more deaths.
The main symptoms that the disease causes include: Fever, joint pain, headaches, repeated vomiting and, in severe cases, seizures and coma. If not treated, malaria becomes worse and can cause death.
Extending access to diagnosis and more effective treatments is necessary in underdeveloped countries.
Treatment. In case of fever, a clinical exam is necessary to look for other symptoms, such as headaches or joint pain. To confirm the diagnosis, the parasite can be found in blood tests under the microscope. Currently there are also rapid tests that, with a drop of blood in 15 minutes, can tell if a person is infected without the need for laboratory.
Using rapid diagnostic tests is important for two reasons. First, an early diagnosis can prevent malaria evolving to a severe and potentially fatal form of the disease. Second, it allows for treating only the confirmed cases, and prevents development of resistance to the disease resulting from medicating people with similar symptoms who do not actually have the disease.
For more information visit:
Malaria
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/
Malaria Strategy Overview
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/en/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Malaria
Malaria - Why it is important to share and act on this information
http://www.factsforlifeglobal.org/10/
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