Malaria

When a female anopheles mosquito transfers protozoan called plasmodium from in infected person to a healthy person, the disease so transmitted is known as malaria. Malaria is mainly spread in summer and rainy season. Its causative agent plasmodium’s sexual stage cycle is completed inside mosquito so, primary or definite host of malaria is mosquito. Likewise, sexual cycle of plasmodium is accomplished in man. So, man is secondary or intermediate host of malaria. When a person suffers from malaria, it causes anemia and spleenomegaly and even leads to the death. The death of fetus is possible when a pregnant suffers from malaria.

Causative Agent:

         Malaria is caused by the protozoan called plasmodium. Plasmodium is of 4 types. They are as follows:

·                           Plasmodium vivax:

It distribution is tropical countries. Its incubation period is 14 days and duration of sexual cycle is 10 days. It causes a type of malaria fever called benign and tertian malaria.

 Plasmodium malariae:

Its distributed in tropical countries and incubation period range from             (24-28) days and duration of sexual cycle is (26-28) days. It causes                quartan malaria.

Plasmodium falieparum:

It is found in tropical countries and its incubation period is 12 days               and duration of sexual cycle ranges from (10-12) days. It causes                   malignant and tertian malaria. So, it is considered as most dangerous              species of plasmodium.

Plasmodium ovale:

It is distributed in west Africa and south America. Its incubation                  period is 17 days and duration of sexual cycle is 16 days. It transmits            disease called ovale and subtertian.

Mode of Transmission:

· Vector transmission:

      By the bite of infected anopheles female mosquito to healthy person   from infected man.

   · Blood transfusion:

 During transfusion of blood and by sharing same syringe/ needle.

   · Congenital infection:

 From infected pregnant mother to her fetus

Sign and symptoms:

The sign and symptoms can be classified into three groups.

1. Stage First/Cold Stage:

This stage prevails from 15 minute to an hour. The symptoms seen during this stage are as follows:

-Chills - fills cold

- Headache

-Weak-Tired

2. Stage Second/Warm Stage:

               Its period is about 3-4 hours. The symptoms are:

              -Fever up to 40 degree Celsius or more

             - Headache

             - Delirium, etc.

            3. Stage Third / Sweating / Wet Stage:

              Its prevailing period refers from (2-4) hours. In this stage, sweating

              and mild fever occurs. If not treated for long period of time, it                        causes anemia, splenomegaly.

                            Prevention and Control:

1.  Areas of swamps and stagnant water should be drained in   order to reduce the no. of breeding places of mosquitoes.

2.   Destruction of larvae and pupae of mosquito should be done by spraying of kerosene, paris green powder and DDT over the surface of water.

3. Mosquito repellants like anti mosquito cream (odomas) , mustard oil, etc can be used to keep the mosquito away.

4.    During sleep, fine mesh mosquito nets should be used.

5. Quinine is the oldest drug for malaria. Other anti-malarial drugs are plaudrine, perimaquin, chloroquinine, camoquin and comoprima.