Malaria: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Malaria is one of the fatal diseases and is held every year. It is a vector-borne disease. It affects the health of a person in various ways. Malaria spreads all over the world every year, and thousands of people die due to malaria. Thousands of people face this issue every year, which eventually leads to problems such as delayed work in offices and absenteeism of students in school. It seems a small disease, but it can even lead to permanent disability in the body.

Malaria is a fatal disease, and the main reason behind the spread of this deadly disease is usually an unhygienic environment. Malaria is caused due exposure to parasites and not by a virus. Some people need clarification about whether malaria occurs due to parasites or malaria. However, the correct answer is that it causes due to parasites. It is caused when the mosquito feeds a parasite on the human body.

It can be observed that around five main parasites are found inside the human body. People who suffer from malaria face various symptoms, such as high fevers and flu-like illnesses. The spread of malaria is caused due to the bite of female mosquitos. Malaria affects almost thousands of people in India. As per the national library of medicine report, almost 2 to 5 people out of 1000 are affected with Malaria every year. And most of them do not get enough healthcare facilities, resulting in the loss of lives.

How Malaria Spreads?

Malaria is spread due to the female mosquito Anopheles. It is a contingent disease and can be transmitted from one person to another. Anyone can get infected by using syringes and needles from the infected person. There are some chances of excessive spread of malaria by contact with another person. Some of the people who don’t get enough appropriate medication can even affect other people as well. Even healthy people can become victims of this disease due to mosquito bites. However, you cannot get infected by it in a short period. It takes some time to process the parasite inside the blood. And after around 16 days, you will be able to feel the symptoms of malaria inside your body.

Symptoms Of Malaria

As mentioned before, there are a few symptoms that a person can face while suffering from malaria, such as high fever, a pale body, the cycle of chills, anaemia, blood clotting, etc. These are the common symptoms of malaria. Malaria directly impacts different parts of the kidney and lungs and can lead to coma, liver failure, lung failure, or even death. When someone visits tropical areas, it is common to experience a change in the hygienic and surrounding environment. The process of malaria takes around 1 – 4 weeks to turn into a mature disease. However, it depends on the type of malaria you’ve been suffering. The maturity of malaria relies on the kind of plasmodia. Various people experience it in just seven days; however, some can even face it after one year. It entirely depends upon the strength of the body and on the type of plasmodium within a specific time. So if you have some above-given symptoms, then prefer visiting a laboratory and doing all the necessary tests. It will help you gain all the malaria history through your laboratory test.

What Is the Treatment For Malaria?

The treatment of malaria may differ as it depends upon the parasite of the respective plasmodium. However, the parasite is not the only reason. Even the area from where malaria is transmitted also depends. The treatment starts once every detail gets clear with the help of medication and drugs. The best treatment for malaria is oral treatment with artemether–lumefantrine (court). However, there are more methods through which malaria can treat successfully, such as atovaquone–proguanil, mefloquine, tetracyclines, etc.

How To Prevent Malaria?

Malaria is a common disease in different regions of the country. However, it is tough to prevent malaria in those places where it is highly spread. If you’re planning to visit some tropical area, make sure you will face a high rate of malarial patients that can also be transmitted to you. However, with proper medication and precaution, we can indeed prevent it. It is undoubtedly a temporary disease, but it can lead to a permanent problem if it worsens. There is various preventive medicine that you can take away from the start of malaria. However, medicine is the only way to prevent yourself malaria.

As everyone knows, mosquitos are the main reason for malaria transmission. However, your prime motive should be to protect yourself from mosquitoes, as they are the standard hub for malaria information. You can apply some applicators on the skin to avoid mosquito bites. Always prefer wearing closed clothes and always carry medication with you wherever you go.

Conclusion

Malaria is a contingent disease that has to arise from the borer line of South Africa and later spread all over the world. Various organizations help contribute and help people to get enough knowledge about malaria. It is a fatal disease, and everyone should take appropriate measures.

FAQs

Where does malaria occur in South Africa?

Malaria first occurred on the borders of South Africa. Firstly it spread to small regions of Africa. Later it takes a worse face and thousand of people to get infected by malaria now.  

How is malaria treated?

Malaria is treated with artemether–lumefantrine (court). However, it is not the only medicine to prevent malaria. Various medications are also available to treat it.

Who can get malaria?

Anyone can get malaria. It is a contingent disease and can be transmitted from one infected person to another. Usually, it is seen that young children catch malaria faster.

Does malaria affect animals?   

We cannot believe this, but even animals can get infected by malaria. There are various kinds of malarial species available in the world. However, these species can affect different animals, birds, humans, etc.

Also Read: World Malaria Day: Facts, History, and Significance