| Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by | | | | you have malaria and, if so, which type. |
| protozoan parasites. It is widespread in tropical and | | | | * These tests sometimes are difficult to complete |
| subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, | | | | and may have to be repeated or the results sent to |
| Asia, and Africa. Each year, it causes disease in | | | | another hospital. |
| approximately 650 million people and kills between | | | | * Doctors also may perform DNA tests. |
| one and three million, most of them young children in | | | | Treatment |
| Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is commonly associated | | | | A malaria infection, particularly with P. falciparum, |
| with poverty, but is also a cause of poverty and a | | | | requires prompt evaluation and treatment. In most |
| major hindrance to economic development. | | | | cases, doctors can treat malaria effectively with one |
| If you're going on holiday or if you're going to be | | | | or more of the following medications: |
| working in malarial areas most travel companies and | | | | * Chloroquine (Aralen) |
| Doctors will advise what sort of precaution and | | | | * Quinine sulfate |
| prevention you will need. Some of preventive drugs | | | | * Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) |
| can have side affects but it will be certainly worth | | | | * Combination of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine |
| the risk rather than catching Malaria, and the most | | | | (Fansidar) |
| frightening thing for most people is that it can take a | | | | * Mefloquine (Lariam) |
| week before any Malaria symptoms can be detected. | | | | * Combination of atovaquone and proguanil |
| How is malaria transmitted? | | | | (Malarone) |
| As is well known, malaria is transmitted to people by | | | | * Doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin, others) |
| mosquitos. The scientific name of the particular type | | | | Prevention |
| of mosquito is Anopheles. An infected Anopheles | | | | Health authorities try to prevent malaria by using |
| mosquito bites a person and injects the malaria | | | | mosquito-control programs aimed at killing mosquitoes |
| parasites into the blood. The malaria parasites then | | | | that carry the disease. If you travel to an area of |
| travel through the bloodstream to the liver and | | | | the world with a high risk for malaria, you can install |
| eventually infect the red blood cells. | | | | window screens, use insect repellents, and place |
| Symptoms | | | | mosquito netting over beds. Insecticide-impregnated |
| * Chills | | | | bed netting has successfully reduced the number of |
| * Fever | | | | malarial deaths among African children. |
| * Sweating | | | | One of the major problems is the steady increase in |
| * Headache | | | | resistance of the infection to the drugs used in both |
| * Nausea | | | | prevention and treatment. There's also been some |
| * Vomiting | | | | controversy about possible side-effects. Always talk |
| * Muscle pain | | | | to your doctor if you are worried - don't just stop |
| * Anemia | | | | taking antimalarials without getting medical advice. |
| Other signs and symptoms include: | | | | If you do develop symptoms, get help quickly - and |
| * Diarrhea | | | | don't forget to tell the doctor you've travelled to a |
| Exams and Tests | | | | malarial area. |
| The doctor will perform blood tests to determine if | | | | |