The life cycle of malaria parasite infestation is illustrated below 👇
👇Key facts
Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which
are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles
mosquitoes. There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and
2 of these species P. falciparum and P. vivax pose the greatest threat. P.
falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the
African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most
countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa.
The first symptoms fever, headache and chills usually appear 10-15 days
after the infective mosquito bite and may be mild and difficult to
recognize as malaria. Left untreated, P. falciparum malaria can progress
to severe illness and death within a period of 24 hours.
In 2020, nearly half of the world's population was at risk of malaria.
Some population groups are at considerably higher risk of contracting
malaria and developing severe disease: infants, children under 5 years of
age, pregnant women and patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as people with low
immunity moving to areas with intense malaria transmission such as migrant
workers, mobile populations and travellers.
(World Health Organization)
The life cycle of malaria parasite infestation is illustrated below
👇
What are the signs and symptoms of malaria?
Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache,
muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also
occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin
and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. If not promptly treated,
the infection can become severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures,
mental confusion, coma, and death.
Treatment of Malaria
The control and eradication of malaria demands a multifaceted approach. At
present we have a range of good tools, including insecticide spraying and
long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets help to prevent the transmission
of the infection via the mosquito vector. But no preventative strategy is
100% effective. there will always be cases that slip through the net. The
current WHO-recommended first-line treatment for the majority of malaria
cases is artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). These medicines, in
addition to diagnostics, are available to treat and in some cases prevent
malaria.
➡️ Learn more on guidelines for the treatment of malaria
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