A consistent and unbeatable top-ten lister, Malaria is one of world's leading causes of death. Averaging at about a million death each year, this deadly disease takes away one life every thirty seconds. Before you even get half way reading this, a handful of lives have already been taken, and thousands more struggling to extend their stay in this planet.
Malaria is a disease caused by parasites (protozoan parasites of genus Plasmodium) that infect and poisons the red blood cells of the body. These parasites enter the human body through mosquito bites. The female mosquitoes (Anopheles) are the sole carrier of these parasites since male mosquitoes do not feed on blood. When an infected mosquito bites a person's skin for food supply (blood meal), sporozoites in the mosquito's saliva get into the bloodstream and migrate to the liver. In 30 minutes time upon entering the human body, these sporozoites infect hepatocytes and multiply rapidly. Their existence inside the human body cannot be immediately detected upon their entry. The discovery of their presence will only be felt once ailments start to come up.
The first ever case of Malaria is as undated as the beginning of human life. The closer that we can get in dating the origin of Malaria is the discovery that a hundred and thirty million years ago, a divergence of malaria parasites happened. More million years thereafter, malaria parasites split and diverged into different forms and strains that we know these days. Interesting to note though is the role that Malaria has played in shaping our history. Malaria has vastly shaped the politics of many classic civilizations, dynasties, and empires. Malaria is known to have killed Alexander the Great and his greater plans of expanding his rule that could have united the east and the west. Had mosquitoes not sucked the powers of Greek civilization, the world will surely be different from what we know it is right now.
From the reigns of Otto II, Genghis Khan, and Columbus to the firs! t and se cond world war, Korean war, Vietnam war, and the United States' campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Liberia in the recent past years, Malaria has not only played too crucial a role in global health but in global politics as well. Mother Theresa also died of Malaria.
Most Malaria cases happen among countries in sub-Saharan Africa. About 85-90 percent of malaria fatalities are coming from this region. Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and West-African countries have malaria cases all over their territories. It is also present in Northern South America and South and Southeast Asia. Unlike dengue fever, malaria is most common in rural areas than in cities.
The signs and symptoms of malaria are fever, chills, muscle aches, and headache. Fever, sweating, and chilling recur about every one, two, or three days. Other clues indicative of a probable malaria infection are diarrhea, jaundice, coughing, and vomiting. Bleeding problems, shock, kidney and/or liver failure are on the other hand signs of severe falciparum malaria. This case usually leads to death, or coma at the very least.
Diagnosis of a suspected Malaria case can be done through microscopic tests, non-microscopic tests, or peripheral smear study. These tests are administered to determine what strain of malaria is present, how severe is its presence, what implications has it brought or how damaging it is, and the body's immunity (or lack of it) leading to identification of possible cures and treatments.
There's no universal cure for malaria. T he proper treatment for the different kinds of malaria cases is geography-based. This is because different regions of the world have malaria types that are immunized or resistant to certain treatments. But the most commonly used anti-malarial drugs are Chloroquine, Primaquine, Quinine, Pyrimethamine/Sulfadoxine, Tetracyclines, Mefloquine, Artemisinin, Halofantrine, and Atovaquone/Proguanil. These anti-malarial drugs are being administered by doctors depending on the relative cases ! of malar ia incidence.
The best way to prevent malaria (or other diseases caused by mosquito bite) is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are most active during early morning and early evening. The best ways to avoid mosquitoes and their deadly bites are denying them the opportunity to thrive near your place (stagnant water), having screens in your windows and doors, spraying of insecticide inside the house, applying insect repellent lotion on the skin, and even using mosquito nets. For travelers, know what kind of malaria is present in each of your destination and get the proper immunization prior to going there.
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