MALARIA History The disease How people get Malaria ( transmission) Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Preventive measures Where malaria occurs in the world.

MALARIA

MALARIAHistoryThe diseaseHow people get Malaria

( transmission)Symptoms and DiagnosisTreatmentPreventive measuresWhere malaria occurs in the world

HistoryDiscovery of the Malaria Parasite (1880):Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran

Discovery That Mosquitoes Transmit Malaria Parasites (1897-1898):Ronald Ross

What is malaria?It ’s a disease caused by a parasite called

Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells.

4 kinds of malaria parasites : Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.

How is Malaria transmitted?Infected mosquito's bites (only

infective female Anopheles mosquito). Other rares cases : *blood transfusion, *organ transplantation, *needles, syringes, *mother to her unborn child( congenital

malaria)

Anophele mosquito feeding on a human arm.

SymptomsMore commonly, the patient presents a

combination of the following symptoms: *Fever, chills * Headaches, sweats * Nausea and vomiting * Body aches * General malaise

Diagnosis Microscopic examination of blood films

because each of the four parasite species has distinguishing characteristics(it’s the most economic, prefered, and reliable diagnosis ).

Antigen detection tests that require only a drop of blood (In areas where microscopy is not available, or where laboratory staff are not experienced at malaria diagnosis ).

TreatmentTreatment for malaria depends on several

factors: the species of malaria causing infection, severity of infection, the age of the infected individual…

There are several families of drugs used to treat malaria:

* Chloroquine (therapy and prophylaxis) * Quinine (Therapy only) * Doxycycline (Therapy and prophylaxis)

PreventionPersonal measures to avoid

mosquitoes: *Sleeping under bed nets * Wear protective clothing ( for example

Wear light-coloured because dark colours attract mosquitoes).

*Using insect repellent Antimalarial medication

(prophylaxis)There is currently no malaria vaccine

approved for human use.

Where malaria occurs in the world

Malaria is found in warmer regions of the world, in tropical and subtropical countries including Americas, Asia and Africa(malaria-risk areas).

Malaria causes about 400–900 million cases of fever

approximately 1 to 3 million deaths annually this represents at least one death every 30

seconds.

Distribution and impact of malaria in the world