Malaria

Malaria
Malaria

♣ It is a serious and sometimes fatal disease which is widespread in many tropical and subtropical countries. It is caught by being bitten by an infected mosquito that is carryingthe malaria parasites in its saliva.
Parts of the world where the disease strikes:
♣ Malaria occurs in over 100 countries and more than 40% of the people in the world are at risk. Large areas ofCentral and South America, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Oceania are considered malaria-risk areas.

♣ TheWorld Health Organisation estimates that each year 300-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide and more than two million people die of malaria. |
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Symptoms:
♣ Symptoms of malaria include feverand flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea may also occur. Malaria may cause anaemia and jaundice (yellow colouring of theskin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Infection with one type of malaria, P. falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, anddeath.
♣ For most people, symptoms begin 10 days to 4 weeks after infection, although a person may feel ill as early as 8 days or up to 1 year later.
♣ Any traveller who becomes ill with a fever orflu-like illness while travelling and up to one year after returning home should immediately seek professional medical care. You should tell your GP that you have been travelling in a malaria-risk area.CAUSES OF THE DISEASE:
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors", which bite mainlybetween dusk and dawn.
The Malaria Cycle

There are four parasite species that cause malaria in humans:
* Plasmodium falciparum
* Plasmodium vivax
* Plasmodium malariae
* Plasmodium...