Malaria is one of the world's most common diseases. It is transmitted by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito, via contaminated blood, congenitally (mother to child), or by needle sharing among drug users. It is caused by a parasite. Over 200 million people worldwide have this disease.
Causes of Malaria
This disorder is to anyone of the 4 types of malarial parasites. The disease is spread from person to person by a mosquito bite and the mosquito becomes infected with malaria after biting an infected person. The malaria organisms multiply in the mosquito, then enter the bloodstream of the next person the mosquito bites. The parasites travel to the liver, where they multiply rapidly, and reenter the bloodstream, where they enter red blood cells. Periodically, they cause lysis, or destruction of the red blood cells, when the parasites migrate to new red blood cells. Parasites can remain in the liver where they multiply and are released again at intervals into the bloodstream.
Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
People who have been inoculated with the malaria parasite may develop symptoms anywhere between 8 days to 8 months later. Shaking chills with fever develop. These may last anywhere between 15 minutes and 1 hour. They represent rupture of red blood cells that are infected with parasite. Sweating occurs after the fever. Headache, nausea and vomiting may occur. This cycle of symptoms repeats itself every 48-72 hours and can last indefinitely without treatment. Anemia can develop due to destruction of the red blood cells. This will produce the usual symptoms of shortness of breath, generalized weakness, pallor, rapid heart rate and exercise intolerance
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