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Posts Tagged ‘Malaria’

How is it diagnosed?

The symptoms of malaria are similar to those of other infectious diseases. Call your doctor if you are sick and have traveled abroad, especially if you’ve gone to the tropics in the last year.

The diagnosis of the disease is studying a sample of blood under a microscope. A trained observer will identify the parasite and usually its kind, and can count their number. (Sometimes, the number of parasites is very small and the test must be repeated).

There are other techniques to detect in the laboratory and blood samples from the parasite components (proteins or nucleic acids). Read the rest of this entry »

Cerebral Malaria

Malignant malaria can affect the brain and the rest of central nervous system. It is especially common in children and other non-immune people with severe malaria. Are alterations in the level of consciousness, paralysis, convulsions and coma.

Dark-colored urine

In malignant malaria sometimes destroy a large number of red cells and hemoglobin (which is a pigment containing in its interior) is excreted in the urine, which takes a dark color (like cognac).

Late complications

If a person with a benign form of malaria is not treated, eventually may have anemia, enlarged spleen. Read the rest of this entry »

What are the characteristics of the attack of malaria?

The attack of malaria usually have 3 phases:

- The first phase of cold chills, lasting 15 minutes to several hours.

- A second phase in which there is high fever, sweating, and low which may be accompanied by cough, headache, or abdomen, nausea, vomiting, etc.. This period usually lasts from 2 to 6 hours.

- A third phase of profuse sweating with decrease in temperature, fatigue and drowsiness accused.

The attack described is typical of malaria, and does not occur in all cases, but when there is repeated approximately every 48 hours or every 72, according to parásitro concerned. The Plasmodium falciparum usually produces more continuous fever or irregular cycles. Read the rest of this entry »

What places have malaria?

The areas of the world where this disease exists coincide with the places where the Anopheles mosquito lives. There are vast areas of America and Europe where there was malaria in the not too distant past. At present, there is malaria in Central America, South America (excluding its more southern latitudes), Africa (except in regions north and south), southern Asia (from the Middle East to its eastern regions) and some islands of Oceania.

Plasmodium falciparum is proper warm areas, while the other three species are found in more temperate.

The disease occurred more frequently acute Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Sometimes there are mixed infections (caused by more than one species).

There are cases caused by mosquitoes, “imported” on airplanes and that have bitten people, usually near airports (airport malaria). Read the rest of this entry »

What is the cause of malaria?

Malaria is caused by different species of protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium, which are small unicellular microorganisms that have as a guest to man and certain species of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles.

There are four different types of Plasmodium:

- Plasmodium falciparum, which often causes the most severe forms of the disease and is generally more resistant to drugs used for treatment.

- Plasmodium vivax

- Plasmodium ovale

- Plasmodium malariae. Read the rest of this entry »

What is malaria?

Malaria is a disease of tropical areas of the earth. It is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. Usually is transmitted by the bite of infected female mosquitoes of certain.

The sick person may have different symptoms, which are the most typical intermittent fever hits. They are also frequent fatigue, diarrhea and other, similar to those of flu. At these events should be suspected when the possible existence of malaria and are to be made as soon as possible evidence to confirm whether the patient has been in a danger zone during the past year.

Malaria is an infectious causes major illness and death in the world. It is estimated that there are 300 to 500 million cases each year with 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths by cause. Read the rest of this entry »