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What is Malaria?	Tweet

Malaria is a mosquito borne infectious disease. Each year, there are approximately 350-500 million cases of malaria,killing between one and three million people, the majority of whom are young children. More people die yearly world wide from Malaria than HIV.

It is said that the biggest cause of Malaria is ignorance.

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells.

Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

Key interventions to control malaria include: prompt and effective treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; use of insecticidal nets by people at risk; and indoor residual spraying with insecticide to control the vector mosquitoes.

How can I prevent Malaria?

The best way to prevent Malaria is to be aware of the risks and take precautions. Risk factors such as location, time of the year, time of the day, length of stay and type of traveler are some of the factors that should be taken into consideration when visiting a malaria area.

It is highly advisable that pregnant woman and small children should avoid visiting a malaria area. Anybody visiting a Malaria area should consult a travel doctor at least 3 weeks in advance for advice on vaccinations. For information on a travel doctor in your area visit www.sastm.org.za.

Avoid being outdoors at night time as malaria mosquitoes are most active during night time.

Personal protection is the most important method to prevent malaria and the following should be done:
-wear long sleeve clothing especially around the legs and ankles
-use impregnated mosquito nets when sleeping especially in rooms that doesn't have window or door screens
-Vital Protection is also a good product to impregnate other textiles such as mattresses, linen, clothing etc.
-insect repellents containing deet is also advisable. The recommended levels of deet are up to 50% for adults and up to 30% for children
Did you know that Malaria kills more people worldwide per year than HIV, and that women and children are more likely to die from Malaria than men.

Ignorance is said to be the biggest cause of Malaria deaths. People often do not take enough prevention against mosquito bites, and easily forget that it only takes one bite to become infested. Our advice is to visit a good travel Physician before visiting a malaria area. Make sure that you are well protected especially in the evenings, when malaria mosquitoes’ are most active. Treat your bedding, clothing and mosquito nets with Vital Protection for 24/7 prevention.

Should you return from a malaria area with flu like symptoms, immediately visit your Physician for a diagnosis. Sometimes this flu like symptoms could only occur days after being bitten. Inform your doctor that you have visited a malaria area and insist on a blood test being taken. Another test should be taken 7-12 hours later, if the test results return negative but the symptoms remain.

How do I know if I have Malaria?

If you have visited a Malaria area and have flu like symptoms within 7 days or even 3 months after you should consult your doctor and request a blood test for Malaria. It is often advised to have a second test done 8-12 hours later if the first test result was negative and the symptoms does not go away. Rapid malaria test kits can be used although a blood smear proofs to be more accurate.

Symptoms of malaria are:

• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Cough
• Generalised body ache
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting

For more information on Malaria visit the following websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria
http://www.malaria.org.za/
http://www.who.int/topics/malaria/en/

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