2. INTRODUCTION
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Defination :
Maleria is an intermittent & remittent fever caused by protozoan parasite which invade the red blood cell & it is
transmitted by mosquitoes in many tropical & subtropical region.
Agent:
Humans are infected with Plasmodium protozoa when bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito.
Source of infection :
The parasite are spread to the people through the bite of infected female anopheles mosquito caled malaria
vectors. There are 4 parasite species that cause malaria in humans,
• Plasmodium Falciparum
• Plasmodium Vivax
• Plasmodium Ovale
• Plasmodium Malariae
• Plasmodium knowlesi (Rare cases )
Maximum cases
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INCUBATION PERIOD:
The duration of incubation period varies with the species of the parasite
MALARIA PARASITE NAME INCUBATION PERIOD
Plasmodium Falciparum 9 to 14 Days
Plasmodium Vivax 8-17 Days
Plasmodium Ovale 16-18 Days
Plasmodium Malariae 18-40 Days
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HOST FACTORS:
All ages. Newborm infants have considerable resistant to infection with P falciparum. Male
more at risk than compare to female, individuals with as haemoglobin, sickle cell trait have a milder illness
with falciparum, low socio-economical affected more.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:
Malaria Found in about 100 Countries in the World. Maximum Prevalence of Malaria is found
in Warm & Humid Environment and Mostly seen in July to November in India.Temperature-the optimum
temperature for the malaria parasite in the insect vector is between 20 deg to 30 deg c.(68f to 86f).
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SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA
The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to 4 weeks following the infection. In some cases,
symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter the body but will be dormant for long
periods of time.
Common symptoms of malaria include:
1. Shaking Chills That Can Range From Moderate To Severe 8. High Fever
2. Profuse Sweating 9. Headache
3. Vomiting 10. Nausea
4. Diarrhea 11. Abdominal Pain
5. Anemia 12. Muscle Pain
6. Convulsions 13. Coma
7. Bloody Stools
Complications: Breathing problems, liver failure, jaundice, shock, dehydration, swelling andrupturing of the spleen ete
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Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and tests like microscopic examination and rapid
diagnostic tests. Newer tests are also available.
Though a symptomatic disease, diagnosis of malaria is difficult in non-endemic areas, as
clinicians may mistake these symptoms to be of any other disease like flu or viral infection.
For a speedy diagnosis, a modern method called Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) is employed. In
this technique, blood specimen of the patient with certain reagents is applied to the sample pad on the test
card. When observed after 15 minutes, any presence of specific bands in the test card window proves that the
patient is infected with any of the four species of human malaria.
DIAGNOSIS OF MALARIA
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Primary prevention, secondary prevention and primordial prevention are key action for prevention and
control of malaria. More strategy and prevention is given in under national health programme chapter under NVBCD
programme.
Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and taking steps to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
Personal protection from the bite of infected mosquitos and environmental management play a major role in malaria
prevention.
Precautions to be Taken to Prevent Malaria :
• Wearing long sleeves clothes, especially in the late evening
• Use of mosquito repellentsIndoor residual spraying
• Taking anti malaria pills
• Use of bed nets
PREVENTION AND CONTROL:
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Treatment for malaria should start as soon as possible. To treat malaria, your provider will prescribe drugs to
kill the malaria parasite. Some parasites are resistant to malaria drugs. The type of medication and length of treatment
depend on which parasite is causing your symptoms.
Antimalarial drugs include:
Artemisinin drugs (artemether and artesunate).
Atovaquone (Mepron®).
Chloroquine.
Doxycycline (Doxy-100®, Monodox®, Oracea®).
Mefloquine.
Quinine.
TREATMENT FOR MALARIA:
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• Malaria is spread through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
• An infected mosquito injects the parasites into the blood of a healthy person in the form of sporozoites. These
sporozoites travel in the bloodstream to the liver, where they grow and multiply asexually without showing any
symptoms in a person and produce forms known as merozoites.
• Then, the parasites in the form of merozoites are released from the liver cells in vesicles that travel to the heart
and settle in the lung capillaries. Eventually, in the lung capillaries, the vesicles disintegrate, freeing the
merozoites into the blood stream.
• In the blood stream, the parasites that are in the form of merozoites replicate asexually by creating daughter
parasites, which invade and infect the red blood cells and thereby resulting in symptoms of malaria in an
affected person.
• Some parasites in the form of merozoites in the blood cells produce immature gametocytes through the process
of sexual reproduction. These immature male and female gametocytes freely circulate in the blood stream.
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• These male and female gametes fuse to form ookinetes (a fertilized and motile form of malarial parasites in the
body of mosquito), which penetrate into the mosquito midgut and form oocysts.
• Each oocyst producing thousands of parasitic forms called sporozoites, bursts, releasing the sporozoites into the
mosquito's body cavity, from where they travel to the salivary glands of the mosquito.
• This vicious cycle re-starts when the mosquito with sporozoites in its salivary glands bites a healthy person.
• If a mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected person, it ingests these immature gametocytes, which then
develop into mature male and female sex cells known as gametes, in the gut of the mosquito.