Malaria

General information about a disease

The malaria also known to us under the name "marsh fever" is an acute infectious disease which is transmitted at stings of mosquitoes from the sort Anopheles. Malaria is eurysynusic in territories malaria meets a warm and humid climate where annual average temperature does not fall lower than 16 degrees of S. V zones moderately of climate extremely seldom, and in subpolar areas any case of infection was not revealed.

At the diagnosis malaria symptoms demonstrate defeat of TsNS. At patients fever attacks, plentiful sweat and high temperature of a body are noted. In the absence of treatment the disease quickly progresses and quite often leads to a lethal outcome. Says about danger of this infection at least the fact that it is the leading cause of death of able-bodied population in the countries with tropical and subtropical climate.

At the moment cases of infection with malaria are regularly noted in Mexico, valley of Amazon, in many regions of Africa, on the coast of the Mediterranean and Red seas, in India and Southeast Asia. In the territory of Eastern Europe the causative agent of malaria was found in Ukraine and the Balkans.

What causes malaria?

Malaria begins to develop owing to activity of the smallest microorganisms – plasmodiums. On the majority of continents three species of these parasites - Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum and P. Malariae meet. The fourth look – P. Ovale – was found only in Africa and that not in all regions. The causative agent of malaria strikes not only the person, but also monkeys, reptiles, birds. From animals to people the disease is not transmitted, however, separate cases when the infection got to an organism of the healthy person at contacts with sick monkeys were recorded.

How malaria is transmitted?

Malaria gets into an organism at a carrier sting – a mosquito Anofeles. It damages an integument and injects a plasmodium into blood. Further parasites move to a liver, strike red blood cells and the vital systems. When the infected person is bitten again by a mosquito, a part of plazmidiya move to a body of the new carrier. Thus the difficult life cycle of these beings is repeated.

Malaria – disease symptoms

Characteristic symptoms of malaria are bad attacks of fever. They are observed within several days then are replaced by the fever-free period. If treatment of malaria was not carried out or was insufficient, then in the next two-three months fever can be shown again.

The first symptoms of malaria are found in 2-6 weeks after infection. Patients complain on:

• fever;
• headache;
• weakness;
• disturbances of a chair;
• strong perspiration;
• I am eager.

Recurrence of attacks is characteristic of symptoms of malaria. The fever is replaced by heat, then there comes the stage of perspiration which is replaced by a fever again. Patients feel cold of 10 minutes till 2-3 o'clock. During this period their skin turns pale, becomes covered by roughnesses and gets a cyanochroic shade. Sometimes malaria is followed by severe vomiting and nonsense. During heat skin becomes dry more hotly. Besides, at patients tachycardia and high temperature of a body is observed (to 40 degrees and above). In several hours heat is replaced by perspiration and temperature drop to normal figures. The health of the person is stabilized, however there is the general weakness which remains to the following wave of attacks.

Treatment of malaria

In modern medicine various drugs which can reduce weight of symptoms are used or at once destroy causative agents of malaria. If right treatment is appointed malaria does not constitute special danger. A trouble only that in developing countries to receive the qualified medical care extremely difficult and often the patient is doomed to regular attacks of fever which come to an end with painful death.

Persons who are going to leave to endemic regions are recommended to accept antimalarial means regularly: quinine, мефлохин, chloroquine, quinacrine or Atabrinum. If nevertheless the disease got into an organism, then it is necessary to stop acute manifestations by means of gematotsid. Upon termination of a course of treatment Primachinum – fabric шизонтоцид is appointed sick. In cases when malaria has not heavy current, become drugs of the choice галофантрин, фансидар and мефлохин.

Prevention of malaria

All people leaving to the countries of Latin America, Southeast Asia or Africa without fail take a course of chemoprophylaxis of malaria during which drugs delagil, proguanil and мефлохин are used. Also the personal nonspecific prevention of malaria including is of great importance:

• use of repellents;
• installation in window and doorways of special anti-mosquito grids;
• use of electric fumigant injectors

In endemic areas people have to wear most closed clothes of light tones. Repellents are applied on more openly body parts. Prevent spread of an infection and such complex actions as: fight against carriers, early detection of parazitonositel, chemoprophylaxis.