Malaria is one of those diseases that attack humanity from ancient times to this day. It is difficult to determine the age of this disease - approximately from 15 to 50 thousand years. A huge number of people daily show symptoms of malaria, about a hundred countries are at risk. According to statistics, patients die from the disease in question more often than from any other. Outbreaks of the disease can occur everywhere, including in our country. In such cases, infection is brought from abroad. The situation is complicated by the fact that until now scientists have not developed a vaccine, and the disease every year becomes more resistant to traditional medicines. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of malaria in our material.
Terminology
First you need to decide on a concept. Malaria is a group of infectious diseases that are transmitted by insects. The virus enters the human body directly after being bitten by a female mosquito of the Anopheles genus (malaria mosquito). After that, the symptoms of malaria are pronounced, in some cases leading to death.
Mosquitoes that transmit the infection live in regions with an abundance of swamps and a humid warm climate. Infection is possible not only through a bite - there is another way. In medicine, it is called blood transfusion. Its essence is blood transfusion from a sick person to a healthy one. Scientists admit that there is still an intrauterine mechanism of transmission of the disease, that is, from mother to child.
Disease cycle
Symptoms of malaria in an adult and a child appear as a result of exposure to plasmodium. They are the simplest organisms, four species of which are capable of infecting people. Recently, scientists were able to identify another type of plasmodium parasitizing in Asian countries.
The life cycle of the causative agent of the disease is quite complex. For a better understanding, we divide it into several steps:
- Sporogony. This is the earliest stage when plasmodiums enter the mosquito’s body as a result of the bite of another insect with infected blood. Then fertilization takes place, flagellar forms are formed, then turning into oocysts. In the latter, sporozoites form, filling the entire body of the mosquito. This moment is decisive, because starting from this time, insects can infect people within a month.
- Schizogony tissue. The stage develops in the liver cells, where fast and slow plasmodiums are observed. That is why relapses of the disease at different times are possible. The tissue cycle lasts about ten days, after which the pathogens penetrate into the red blood cells.
- Erythrocytic schizogony. At this stage, the patient feels the power of malaria. Symptoms of the disease are expressed in the appearance of a febrile state, because plasmodia break red blood cells, which allows toxins to freely enter the bloodstream. After some time, individuals again burst into red blood cells, and this cycle continues for several days. If you do not attempt treatment, there is a high probability of death.
This is the incubation period of malaria. Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves clearly, it is difficult for the patient to ignore them. Bad health will force the patient to seek medical help in a short time.
Infection pathways
Above we slightly touched on this topic, now we will dwell on it in more detail. The information will be especially useful for tourists who are going to go to the habitats of malaria mosquitoes. In medicine, there are three main groups of infection transmission routes:
- Infection with an insect bite. The most common reason. Infection occurs as a result of injection into the blood of a warm-blooded creature of a parasite of the genus plasmodium. The first carrier of the virus is a mosquito, which transfers it to the second carrier, for example, to a person. Symptoms of malaria after a mosquito bite appear a few days later.
- Transplacental pathway (or intrauterine). The clinical form of the disease is transmitted through the placenta, that is, from an infected pregnant woman to a child. This reason is not common in places where malaria mosquitoes do not live. This is due to the fact that future mothers take care of themselves and do not travel in dangerous areas. But if we are talking about countries where there are plenty of insects of this kind, the transplacental route of infection is not a rare occurrence. Malaria is transmitted if a woman becomes ill while carrying the fetus, or becomes pregnant after the infection has entered the body.
- Parenteral route of transmission of the disease. The bottom line is the transmission of infection from the patient to a healthy person. Quite often, this occurs as a result of a blood transfusion.
It is worth noting that there are no other causes of infection. This virus is not transmitted by airborne droplets, because pathogens are located in the blood cells.
Classification
It must be said that there are several types of malaria. It depends on the type of plasmodium that caused the infection. Accordingly, the disease proceeds in each case differently. That is, the symptoms of malaria, the duration of the disease and the prognosis are completely dependent on the species. The cause and type of disease must be identified at the beginning in order to choose the most effective therapy.
To date, scientists identify four main types of disease:
- Tropical malaria. The parasite in this case is the Plasmodium Falciparum. Such a disease is the most common. According to statistics, tropical malaria is detected in patients in more than 90% of cases. Symptoms with it are very dangerous, compared with other forms. The disease is characterized by unpleasant consequences and the development of complications. It is worth noting that patients suffering from a tropical form of the disease have a high mortality rate.
- Quartan. The causative agent here is the Plasmodium Malaria. Compared with the previous one, this type of disease does not affect the body so adversely. This form received the name due to the fact that the symptoms appear after three days. Moreover, the signs are paroxysmal in nature.
- Three-day malaria. Symptoms with such a disease are detected two days after infection. Plasmodium Vivax parasite disease causes. As in the previous case, attacks are observed.
- Ovale malaria. Virtually no different from a three-day one. They have an identical incubation period, the same symptoms and treatment methods. The only difference is that the pathogen Plasmodium Ovale passes the infection.
Symptoms of malaria
Unfortunately, few people are aware of the signs of the disease. This information is most needed for travel enthusiasts. An ordinary mosquito bite can be fatal, so tourists and not only should know about the characteristics and distinctive features of the disease.
So, what are the symptoms of malaria in most cases? Usually, after infection, the following are observed:
- fever, that is, an increase in body temperature to thirty-nine degrees and above;
- chills, which is one of the first signs of the disease;
- nausea, vomiting, joint pain;
- anemia, that is, a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, as a result of which the protein is excreted in the urine;
- convulsions, pricking skin;
- during research, the doctor can detect enlarged internal organs, spleen and liver;
- incessant headache, from which medications do not help, sometimes cerebral ischemia is detected.
Symptoms of malaria in children manifest themselves more severely due to the body that has not yet fully formed. Treatment should be started as soon as possible, because the disease in a child proceeds somewhat faster than in an adult.
Signs vary slightly depending on the form of the disease. For example, with three-day malaria attacks occur, the duration of which is approximately eight hours. They begin in the morning and alternate day after day with periods of calm.
The tropical form is characterized by the presence of a heat symptom, which can last up to forty hours. At this time, the patient is losing strength, without timely medical attention death will occur. Symptoms characteristic of tropical malaria include impaired consciousness and increased sweating.
Complications
Malaria is considered one of the most dangerous diseases. When the patient's body weakens, he becomes susceptible to various bacteria and viruses. Serious complications may appear during a fever and other symptoms of malaria.
Consider the most dangerous consequences:
- Hemorrhagic syndrome. It often occurs with a tropical form of the disease. The patient has internal bleeding of organs such as the lungs, intestines, and kidneys. Plus, a rash appears on the body. Vascular tone is impaired, bone marrow and liver functions are impaired, hence the hemorrhages of internal organs.
- Convulsive syndrome. The patient has single or multiple twitching and various types of seizures. This symptom develops as a result of a stroke or vascular ischemia.
- Anuria or lack of urine. Quite an unpleasant phenomenon, develops due to renal failure. The latter, in turn, occurs due to hemorrhage. One problem is related to another, so you need to understand the root cause and eliminate it.
- Hemoglobinuric fever. Among the symptoms of malaria in an adult, chills and fever are highlighted. With such a fever, an increase in jaundice and brown urine is added to the symptoms. If kidney failure reaches a critical level, the patient will die.
- Violation of the functions of internal organs. The patient's kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, etc. gradually fail. Often it develops gradually and leads to death. The situation arises due to the formation of blood clots, the presence of internal bleeding and an upset of nervous regulation.
- Coma condition. It is associated with damage to brain structures. Probably the most serious consequence, since even after effective treatment there is a high probability of death. The reason is an infectious toxic shock, which is difficult for the patient to tolerate.
Immunity
Before proceeding to the diagnosis of the disease and its treatment, let's talk a little about the body's immunity. As you know, after suffering a serious illness, a person forms a certain protection. Therefore, re-infection in a short time is unlikely. As for malaria, this disease is one of the exceptions.
We all know how important it is to have strong immunity. Everyone can achieve this if they eat right, play sports, etc. A person's own immunity to malaria is very slowly formed, and in most cases it is ineffective. In other words, the body cannot protect itself from another infection. There is a chance of relapse in a short time.
The immunity from the disease in question is formed only after the infection has been transmitted several times. The intervals between infections should be small, and so that the disease lasts at least two years. The immunity developed in this way becomes specific not only to the stages of the disease, but also to the type of plasmodium. The clinical picture and symptoms of malaria after an adult mosquito bite are greatly alleviated, the prognosis becomes more comforting. Scientists believe that the weak response of the body's defense system is due to the fact that the causative agent of the disease lives in the cells of the body, exerting a detrimental effect on the immune system. Therefore, it is so difficult to develop it, a lot will have to be transferred.
Diagnostics
In endemic areas, doctors easily detect malaria. Signs and symptoms are pronounced, the disease is quite common. To correctly diagnose, the doctor needs to carefully study the clinical picture and confirm the presence of infection in the blood. Particular attention should be paid to the occurrence of seizures during chills, sweating and fever, as well as an increase in internal organs.
It is worth noting that after two attacks, few plasmodia are observed in the blood, which complicates the task of identifying them. After three such situations, the number of pathogens increases significantly. To detect parasites, the therapist uses the method of microscopy of a drop of blood. This is done in the interval between seizures.
A blood test is effective in the following cases:
- if a person has visited the country where infected insects live in the last two years;
- periodic increase in temperature to thirty-nine degrees;
- the patient has a fever, along with anemia;
- the temperature rises in people who have gone through transfusion.
If this method is ineffective in a specific situation, the specialist will resort to other methods, for example, diagnostics by immunological blood readings. The technique showed itself well as an additional one. Sometimes you have to use a peripheral blood test. The disadvantage of this method is the fact that it is able to determine only malaria of tropical form by the presence of specific proteins.
Disease treatment
Only a doctor knows how to cope with malaria. When the first signs appear, it is better to consult a therapist. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then the infection will most likely be prescribed by the infectious disease specialist. Before treatment, a specialist will definitely conduct a systematic blood test to select the most effective way to solve the problem. It is worth noting that the healing process takes place strictly in a hospital setting.
The fight against infection involves the achievement of several goals simultaneously:
- eliminate the pathogen, stop its development;
- prevent complications;
- prevent death;
- carry out prophylaxis so that the parasite does not "get used" to medications.
Under these conditions, the virus will recede, and the patient will continue a normal life. The treatment is carried out mainly with medicines. There are also recommendations for patient care and a proper nutrition system. Only in combination can various therapies give a positive result.
Drug treatment
Specific drugs are selected by the attending physician in each case individually. It depends on the course of the disease, the development of complications, the type of malaria, etc.
Often, doctors prescribe drugs in the following groups:
- Quinolylmethanols. Almost a universal solution that works with malaria of any kind, as it is effective in relation to the pathogen. That is, drugs of this group deprive parasites of the ability to destroy red blood cells.
- Biguanides. Such medications are usually prescribed if the pathogen has developed a “habit” of quinine. Act quite effectively on plasmodia of the tissue stage. Sometimes a medicine is used for prevention.
- Sulfones. When symptoms of malaria are detected, these medications are also prescribed. They are more suitable for reserve. When the use of other medicines is impossible, it is advisable to try sulfones.
The doctor determines the dosage, the combination of medicines and other subtleties on his own, depending on the specific case.
Recommendations for patient care and proper nutrition
As already noted, to cope with the disease, taking medication is not enough. Since the treatment takes place in a hospital, specialists will look after the patient. However, different situations happen in life, so you need to be prepared for everything. When the patient begins an attack of chills, prepare a warm blanket and heating pad, you need to put it at your feet. If fever overcomes, you need to ensure that the patient does not open. After the stage of sweating, it is necessary to change the patient. You must make sure that mosquitoes do not enter the premises, you must not allow the spread of infection.
As for nutrition, it should be frequent and served in small portions. The following foods are recommended for consumption: lean meat and fish, boiled eggs, sour-milk products, crackers, vegetables, mashed berries and fruits. We must not forget about drinking. Such a diet for the symptoms of malaria (see the photo in the article) will ensure the activation of the protective functions of the body, at the same time without bothering it.
Prevention
In this case, prevention is quite specific. At present, a malaria vaccine has not yet been developed, so there are no ways to protect against the disease as such. Scientists create vaccinations, but they are not finalized and can not cope with all types of disease.
Preventive measures are as follows:
- mosquito protection: mosquito nets, repellents and covered clothing are effective remedies;
- medicines: they must be taken a few days before the trip to African or Asian countries, then within a week upon arrival;
- rapid detection of the disease (determination of symptoms of malaria) and treatment in a hospital;
- drainage of swamps and destruction of mosquito communities.
Recently, the flow of tourists to the countries of the epidemic zones has significantly increased, respectively, the frequency of detection of the disease has increased. Here you need to think about prevention, be sure to take vaccinations before departure and after arrival at your destination.
Malaria on the lips
This disease, in fact, is not malaria, as the cause of its occurrence is the herpes simplex virus. However, the people are usually called this ailment in that way. Outwardly, it manifests itself in small bubbles in which there is fluid. Symptoms of malaria on the lips are mainly aesthetic. The disease goes through several stages: first, tingling appears, then bubbles form, after which they dry out, a crust forms and healing takes place. With a tactile touch, the patient feels a slight pain. To cope with the disease, it is not necessary to visit a specialist.
It is recommended to treat such malaria with special ointments, for example, “Acyclovir” or “Zovirax”. Of folk remedies, fir oil and propolis tincture are considered the most effective. Medicines in combination with alternative medicine will significantly speed up the recovery process. In general, the treatment of malaria on the lips takes about a week with the right approach.