Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. The parasite enters the human body through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is vital to take the right steps towards the prevention of malaria by avoiding mosquito bites and using protective nets, repellents, clothing, and screens. This article explores the signs and symptoms of malaria and prevention of malaria disease.
How is Malaria Caused?
Malaria is one of the major public health concerns in India. During June to September, the country experiences monsoon and the maximum transmission is due to collection of rainwater that leads to mosquito breeding. Awareness of how is malaria caused is vital to take the right preventive steps. Anopheles mosquitoes transmit the malarial parasite from one person to another. There are four species of malaria parasites that infect the human body. The two most common Plasmodium malaria parasites are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.
Point to keep in mind: Not all Anopheles mosquitoes have malaria, but if they bite a person with malaria, they become infectious. When this infected mosquito bites another individual, it transfers a parasite to that person’s bloodstream. In rare cases, pregnant females with malaria can transfer the disease to the child before or during birth.
It’s also possible but unlikely for malaria to be transferred through hypodermic needles, organ donations, and blood transfusions.
Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
The signs and symptoms of malaria can be categorised into two main categories: uncomplicated malaria or severe malaria disease.
Uncomplicated Malaria Disease
A person is said to have uncomplicated malaria disease if he/she has symptoms but no sign of dysfunction of vital organs or a severe infection. However, in the case of individuals with low immunity, it can progress to severe malaria. Signs and symptoms of uncomplicated malaria can resemble those of the flu and can last 6 to 10 hours and recur every second day. Some strains of the malaria disease parasite can have a longer cycle and cause mixed symptoms.
Overall symptoms include:
Severe Malaria
Plasmodium falciparum on the other hand can cause potentially lethal, severe malaria disease. In some cases, malaria can also progress and affect the body’s vital organs. At this stage, the malaria disease parasite has affected over 5% of the RBCs (red blood cells).
Symptoms of Severe Malaria:
Blood in the urine
Continuous high fever and shivering
High acidity levels in the blood and body fluids
Severe anaemia and loss of appetite
Impaired consciousness and behavioural alterations
Seizures
Note: Severe malaria is a critical medical emergency and can be potentially life-threatening. People with severe signs and symptoms of malaria must get emergency malaria treatment and care. Malaria during pregnancy can cause premature delivery or low birth weight.
The most severe form of malaria disease, which can progress to coma, is referred to as cerebral malaria.
Malaria Fever Cycle
The classic malaria fever cycle usually lasts for 6 to 10 hours and involves:
Shivering and chills
Fever, headaches (possibility of seizures in young children)
A sweating stage and then a return to usual temperatures, accompanied by fatigue.
Living environment
Malaria vectors (Anopheles mosquitoes) can be found near permanent water bodies including swamps, creeks, lagoons, bushy streams, community open wells, and blocked river mouths. Mosquitoes live near artificial water containers and rest in tall grasses or weeds.
When Can You Start Noticing Signs and Symptoms of Malaria?
If an individual is infected with malaria, symptoms usually appear 10 days to a month after the person has been infected. Some malaria parasites can sometimes live in the body for years without causing symptoms.
Also read: 10 Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
Prevention of Malaria
The use of protection measures against mosquito bites can significantly contribute to the prevention of malaria.
Here are a few important steps one can take for the prevention and control of malaria:
- Apply an insect repellent to exposed skin. The recommended mosquito repellent contains 20 to 35% of DEET (N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide).
- Wear long-sleeved clothing and pants if you are planning to be outdoors at night.
- Use a mosquito net over the bed if the bedroom is not screened or air-conditioned. For additional protection, you can also treat the mosquito net with permethrin.
- Mosquitos may also bite through thin clothing, so spray a repellent on clothing to stay protected.
- Spray pyrethrin or a similar insecticide in the bedroom before going to bed.
- If travelling to an area where there is a spread of malaria, talk to a healthcare provider about anti-malarial medications that can be taken to prevent it.
- Mosquitoes breed in cool, moist, and dark areas. So, it is important to eliminate such conditions to reduce the risk of malaria. Keep your home and surroundings clean and free of junk, waste, or stagnant water.
- Avoid spending long hours in areas with high mosquito activity, especially during evening and night hours. This is the time when Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria bite.
- Keep the windows and doors of the house closed or fully covered with screens.
- If you’re a regular user of sunscreen, make sure to apply sunscreen first and then use an insect repellent.
- Repair broken windows or screens, doors, patios and porches.
- Getting a prompt diagnosis if someone near you thinks they have the disease.
Note: Currently, there are no over-the-counter medications available for malaria. So, it is important to take all the necessary precautions and safety measures for the prevention of malaria.
Malaria Relapses
With some types of Plasmodium, malaria can disappear but can return months or years later. This occurs because of the parasite’s dormant stages during which there is no disease activity. However, symptoms can also occur if the parasites reactivate. Plasmodium vivax can stay in the body and become active again or relapse. Treatment after the first episode can help in the prevention of malaria relapses.
Summary
Malaria occurs from a mosquito bite carrying certain types of Plasmodium parasites. Anyone planning to spend time in a high-risk malaria region must seek advice from malaria doctors about strategies to reduce the risk of disease. Malaria is a serious disease and can also be life-threatening if not treated on time. However, with the right malaria treatment, a majority of people make a full recovery. It is crucial to keep an eye out for signs and symptoms of malaria like fever and chills and consult a doctor immediately.
FAQs
Why is malaria disease difficult to control?
Presently, no licensed vaccine against malaria exists. The lack of understanding of malaria disease pathogenesis and the overall complexity of the malarial parasite has also hampered vaccine development efforts making malaria difficult to control.
How can malaria be treated?
Malaria can be treated using artemisinin-based combination therapy which is a combination of two or more drugs working against the malarial parasite in different ways. Other antimalarial drugs include; chloroquine, atovaquone, mefloquine, doxycycline, quinine, and primaquine.
What steps to take for the prevention of malaria at home?
During the rainy season, these simple tips aid the prevention and control of malaria at home:
Cover the entire room with bed nets treated with insecticides.
Avoid dark clothes and wear full garments so your body isn’t exposed to mosquitoes.
Apply a layer of mosquito repellent cream at night before sleeping.
How to recognise the malaria-causing Anopheles mosquito?
Anopheles mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite and can be recognised as Anopheles stand straight up at the time of biting while other mosquitoes stand parallel to the skin.
Article By Dr. Seema Dhir
Sr. Consultant, Internal Medicine
Artemis Hospitals