Malaria

Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It primarily affects tropical and subtropical regions

Signs and Symptoms

  • Fever

  • Chills

  • Sweating

  • Headache

  • Muscle and joint pain

  • Fatigue

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Diarrhea (in some cases)

  • Abdominal pain

  • Anemia (due to destruction of red blood cells)

  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

  • Rapid breathing and heart rate

Complications

  • Severe anemia

  • Cerebral malaria (brain infection leading to seizures and coma)

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

  • Kidney failure

  • Liver failure

  • Shock and multi-organ failure

  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

  • Stillbirth or low birth weight in pregnant women

Transmission

  • Bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito

  • Blood transfusion from an infected person

  • Sharing of contaminated needles or syringes

  • Congenital transmission (from mother to fetus during pregnancy or childbirth)

Causative Agent

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The five main species that infect humans are:

  1. Plasmodium falciparum (most severe and deadly)

  2. Plasmodium vivax

  3. Plasmodium ovale

  4. Plasmodium malariae

  5. Plasmodium knowlesi (zoonotic malaria)

Incubation Period

  • P. falciparum: 9–14 days

  • P. vivax & P. ovale: 12–18 days

  • P. malariae: 18–40 days

  • P. knowlesi: ~11–12 days

Reservoir

  • Humans (primary reservoir)

  • Some species (P. knowlesi) can also be found in monkeys

Prevention and Control

  • Vector Control:

  • Use insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs)

  • Indoor residual spraying (IRS) with insecticides

  • Eliminate mosquito breeding sites (stagnant water)

  • Personal Protection:

  • Wear long-sleeved clothing and use insect repellents

  • Stay indoors during peak mosquito activity (dusk to dawn)

  • Chemoprevention:

  • Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) in pregnant women and infants

  • Prophylactic antimalarial drugs for travelers to endemic areas

  • Vaccination:

  • RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) vaccine is available for children in high-risk areas

Treatment

  • Uncomplicated Malaria:

    • Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) (e.g., Artemether-Lumefantrine)

    • Chloroquine (only for P. vivax and P. malariae where resistance is absent)

  • Severe Malaria:

    • Intravenous (IV) Artesunate followed by ACTs

    • Supportive care (fluids, blood transfusion, oxygen therapy)

  • Relapse Prevention:

    • Primaquine for P. vivax and P. ovale to eliminate dormant liver stages (hypnozoites)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Yellow Fever

Any person with sudden onset of high fever followed by jaundice within two weeks from the onset of the first symptoms. It is an acute infectious disease caused by the yellow fever virus.   It is an acute disease of high mortality.   TYPE OF YELLOW FEVER 1. Urban or Rural (Epidemic) (man to man) 2. Sylvatic or Jungle (monkey to monkey)   SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, jaundice, headache, hematuria, bleeding of gums, backache, muscle pain, vomiting, abdominal disturbance, chills.   TRANSMISSION  By the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.   CAUSATIVE AGENT Yellow fever virus.   INCUBATION PERIOD          3–6 days.   RESERVOIR Man and monkey.   PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the yellow fever vaccine.   2. Treatment of an infected person. 3. Surveillance   4. Sanitation.   5. Use of insecticides.   6. Health education
Read more

Measles

  Any person with fever and maculopapular rashes PLUS one of the following signs:    1. Conjunctivitis (redness of the eyes)    2. Coryza (runny nose)    3. Cough    is an acute viral communicable disease caused by the measles virus (rubeola).         SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS    Fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, coryza, cough, headache, malaise, otitis media, inflammation of the respiratory tract, dehydration.              TRANSMISSION    Droplets or contact with an infected person.              CAUSATIVE AGENT     Measles virus (rubeola virus)             INCUBATION PERIOD   7–18 days or 16–18 days, but usually 10 days.                RESERVOIR                  Humans           PREVENTION A...
Read more

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a very serious chronic bacterial communicable infection that attacks the lungs and other parts of the body.       TYPES OF TUBERCULOSIS 1. PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS: This type of tuberculosis affects the lungs. 2. EXTRAPULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS: This type of tuberculosis affects the bones, kidneys, brain, abdomen, and reproductive organs. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, cough, chest pain, night sweats, difficulty in breathing, weight loss, loss of appetite, coughing up blood in the later stages, chronic fatigue, emaciation. TRANSMISSION Transmission occurs via airborne droplets from the sputum of an infected person, consumption of infected cow's milk, and prolonged exposure to an active case may lead to infection. CAUSATIVE AGENT Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tubercle bacillus). INCUBATION PERIOD 4 to 12 weeks. RESERVOIR Humans and cows. PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the BCG vaccine. 2. Treatment of infected individuals. 3. Isolation. 4. Surveillance. 5....
Read more

Covid-19 (Coronavirus)

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It primarily affects the respiratory system but can also impact other organs. Signs and Symptoms COVID-19 symptoms range from mild to severe and may include: Common Symptoms: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, and loss of taste or smell. Severe Symptoms: Difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, bluish lips or face. Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Complications Severe cases of COVID-19 can lead to: Pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) Multi-organ failure Blood clots and stroke Long COVID (persistent symptoms lasting weeks or months) Death, especially in high-risk individuals Transmission COVID-19 spreads mainly through: Respiratory droplets (from coughing, sneezing, or talking) Airborne transmission (in poorly ventilated areas) Direct contact (touching an infected...
Read more

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute bacterial communicable infection that affects the mucous membranes of the nose, tonsils, pharynx, and larynx, and it can cause respiratory obstruction. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, headache, pain, and loss of appetite. TRANSMISSION By airborne droplets, direct contact, indirect contact (through fomites), and by ingestion of contaminated raw milk. CAUSATIVE AGENT Corynebacterium diphtheriae. INCUBATION PERIOD         2 to 5 days. PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the pentavalent vaccine. 2. Treatment of an infected person. 3. Isolation. 4. Surveillance 5. Environmental and personal hygiene. 6. Health education.
Read more

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 200 related viruses that infect the skin and mucous membranes. Some types cause benign warts, while others are associated with cancers, including cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS HPV infections often do not cause symptoms, but when they do, they can include: Genital warts (small, flesh-colored bumps, often clustered) Common warts ( on hands and fingers) Plantar warts (on the soles of the feet) Flat warts (smooth lesions that appear anywhere on the body) Precancerous lesions ( detected via screening, often asymptomatic) COMPLICATIONS Cervical cancer (strongly linked to high-risk HPV types 16 and 18) Other cancers (vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal) Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) (HPV infection in the airway, causing voice and breathing difficulties) TRANSMISSION Sexual contact (vaginal, anal, and oral sex) Skin-to-skin contact (even without interco...
Read more

Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)

Any child under 15 years of age with sudden onset of weakness, paralysis or floppiness of the limbs (hands or legs or both). Any person of any age with a paralytic illness in whom a clinician suspects poliomyelitis. It is an acute viral infection resulting in flaccid paralysis (infantile paralysis). It is a crumpling disease that affects the limbs. π™Žπ™„π™‚π™‰π™Ž π˜Όπ™‰π˜Ώ π™Žπ™”π™ˆπ™‹π™π™Šπ™ˆπ™Ž Weakness,paralysis or floppiness of the upper or lower limbs or both π™π™π˜Όπ™‰π™Žπ™ˆπ™„π™Žπ™Žπ™„π™Šπ™‰ It is transmitted through the fecal-oral route (food and water contaminated). π˜Ύπ˜Όπ™π™Žπ˜Όπ™π™„π™‘π™€ π˜Όπ™‚π™€π™‰π™ Poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. π™„π™‰π˜Ύπ™π˜½π˜Όπ™π™„π™Šπ™‰ π™‹π™€π™π™„π™Šπ˜Ώ 3 to 21 days or 7 to 12 days but usually 10 days. π™π™€π™Žπ™€π™π™‘π™Šπ™„π™ Human. π™‹π™π™€π™‘π™€π™‰π™π™„π™Šπ™‰ π˜Όπ™‰π˜Ώ π˜Ύπ™Šπ™‰π™π™π™Šπ™‡ 1. Immunization with the polio vaccine 2. Isolation 3. Treatment of an infected person 4. Surveillance 5. Avoidance of overcrowding 6. Standards of personal and environmental hygiene 7. Health education π˜Ώπ™„π™π™π™€π™π™€π™‰π™π™„π˜Όπ™‡ ...
Read more

Injection Safety

    Injection safety refers to the practice of ensuring that injections (both therapeutic and preventive) are administered in a way that does not harm the patient, healthcare provider, or the community.        It includes using sterile equipment, following proper procedures, and preventing infections or complications. Key Components of Injection Safety: 1. Use of Sterile Equipment: Single-use syringes and needles: These should be used only once and then properly disposed of to prevent reuse. Sterilization: Any reusable equipment must be properly sterilized before use. 2. Proper Hand Hygiene: Healthcare providers should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after administering injections. 3. Aseptic Technique:  This involves using methods to prevent contamination of the injection site and the medication being administered. This includes cleaning the injection site with an approp...
Read more