Malaria is a life-threatening disease, but it is preventable and treatable 

   

While most major cities in Asia and South America are Malaria-free, some cities in Africa, India, and Pakistan remain vulnerable. What are the symptoms, and what precautions should you take?

 

By reading the full article, you will have complete knowledge of the sub-queries below:

 

What is malaria?

What are the Types of malaria?

What are the Symptoms of malaria?

How to prevent malaria?

What are other tips to prevent malaria?

 

What is malaria?

Malaria, also known as malaria, is a parasitic disease caused by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. This disease is prevalent in 100 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, and even though it was eradicated in Spain many years ago, there are still cases of infection due to increased immigration and travel to endemic countries. Malaria poses no risk to people who do not live in affected areas, but it is always important to be aware of the risks and to take precautions if traveling to countries where it can be contracted.

What are the Types of malaria?

Malaria occurs when an infected mosquito bites us. The risk that this implies is that in countries where malaria exists, the presence of mosquitoes is usually very high, and it is very likely that we will not notice the bite. Four types of mosquitoes that transmit this disease have currently been identified:

· Plasmodium falciparum. It is one of the most common and with a higher mortality rate.

·        Plasmodium vivax. Although it is also one of the most frequent, its incidence in the mortality rate is lower than the previous one.

·        Plasmodium malariae.

·        Plasmodium ovale.

All these species belong to the genus Anopheles and only the females are the ones that can transmit the disease. The parasite that causes the disease is when sent by the female mosquito that bites an infected person. This parasite develops and reproduces inside the mosquito, so it is later transmitted to another person when the mosquito makes another bite

 

What are the symptoms of malaria?

The possibility of malaria should be considered in any patient with fever during the stay or after returning from a risk area, whether or not they have taken preventive medication

Malaria is characterized by the onset of fever and initial symptoms similar to those of the flu :  

 

·        Fever

·        headache  

·        sweating 

·        Muscle pain.   

·        General discomfort.   

 

Symptoms may be mild at first. For this reason, Malaria should be suspected if the traveler presents with fever and any of the symptoms noted above, from one week after exposure to infected mosquitoes, to several months after leaving the area of ​​exposure. The most common incubation period is 7 to 21 days, but this interval can be prolonged if the traveler took incomplete or erroneous prophylaxis.

If a correct diagnosis and treatment are not established after the first 24 hours, there may be a progression of the disease with generalized deterioration and the appearance of serious signs such as mental confusion, seizures, respiratory distress, kidney failure, hemorrhages, coma, and even death.  

 

 

How to prevent malaria?

In the case of planning a trip, we must consult the diseases present in the areas where we are going to be. If we detect that malaria is one of them, the first thing we should find out is if it is necessary to get vaccinated, which depends on the time of year, the country, and the area that we visit.

 

 The reality is that contracting malaria on a short trip, of about 10 or 15 days, is very unlikely, even more so if our trip takes place in a dry season.

 

There is no treatment for malaria, so the only way to prevent this disease is through a treatment known as chemoprophylaxis. Despite the existence of this drug, total protection against parasite infection caused by mosquito bites is not guaranteed. Preventive treatments for people who are going to visit one of the risk areas are two types of medication in the form of tablets that are taken days before going to the risk area. The specialist will indicate which one to take and how to do it, but depending on the type of medication:

 

·        A single tablet that is taken a couple of days before going to the risk area.

·        Several tablets that start to be taken a week before, during the stay, and afterward.

 

Therefore, it is important to go to one of the centers specializing in tropical diseases to find out if it is necessary not to take any of the medications indicated to prevent malaria

 

Other tips to prevent malaria?

In addition to taking into account the possibility of needing any of the medications mentioned in the previous section, there are other ways to prevent malaria once we are in the area where mosquitoes live:

 

·        Mosquitoes usually come out between dusk and dawn, so we must bear in mind that in this period we will be exposed to a greater possibility of being bitten.

·        Try to wear clothing that covers the skin's surface, such as pants and long shirts. In addition, we must avoid dark colors, since they attract the attention of these insects.

·        Get a good anti-mosquito repellent. Some effective ones can be applied directly to the skin since they have been specifically designed for this function, and also do not have an unpleasant odor.

·        Sleep in a place where mosquitoes cannot enter. It is somewhat difficult, but making sure that windows and doors are well closed, as well as using a mosquito net can be effective. Regarding this last method of prevention for malaria, you can buy mosquito nets that are hung from the ceiling and cover us while we sleep, making it very difficult for mosquitoes.

The risk of infection varies depending on the destination and the characteristics of the trip: itinerary, duration, time of year, activities, or type of trip.   

Before traveling, it is highly recommended to visit a professional to assess the risk individually and, thus, take the most appropriate preventive measures for each case.