Malaria is a vector-borne disease. People should be aware of the disease. April 25th is celebrated as World Malaria Day. April 25th is observed as World Malaria day globally with an aim to make people aware of this mosquito-borne disease. This year the theme for World Malaria Day is “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”.
India is amongst the 6 countries which are malaria-prone and has an impact of 241 million individuals in 2020. Malaria can be fatal if not detected on time, early treatment is vital in malaria.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites which are transmitted to humans by insect bites especially mosquitoes Known as female Anopheles. Five parasitic species cause malaria in human beings- P. falciparum and P. vivax.
Symptoms of Malaria:
Fever
Lethargy
Heaviness on the head, headache
Diarrhea
Pain in joints and muscles
Coughing
Vomiting or/and nausea
Chills, shivers
Stomach ache
Increase in heart rate
Breathing rapidly
Malaria can be Prevented by:
Vaccine: Vaccination for malaria helps provide immunity.
Shield the skin: Malaria in most cases is spread through a mosquito bite. To avoid this, the best solution is to keep the exposed parts of your body covered. This is highly encouraged in case you are traveling or living in a malaria-prone area.
Insect repellent: Use mosquito repellents when outdoors as it not only protects you from malaria but many other insect-related diseases such as dengue, etc. DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone containing repellents are encouraged to protect you from malaria. However, these repellents are not advised to be used on the face or for kids under the age of 3. Please talk to your doctor for safer alternatives.
Beware of reused needles: Another transmitter of malaria is used needles. While getting an injection of any kind, always make sure the doctor/ nurse tears the needle’s seal in front of you to avoid transmission of diseases. Reused needles can transmit multiple diseases into your body and hence, being careful is crucial.
Insect repellents at home/nets: Preventive measures against malaria should be taken at all times. While indoors, you are encouraged to use nets around the bed, sitting area, etc.
Repellents for clothes: As much as shielding your skin with clothes is better than direct exposure. Using repellents that are essentially applied to clothes is a helpful prevention tactic.
Treatments of Malaria:
Malaria can be treated and its symptoms can be sublimed through correct medication.
A few of the most common medications for malaria are:
Quinine
Doxycycline
Chloroquine
Artemisinin
Mefloquine
Atovaquone
Finally, in case you live in a malaria-prone area, look for the above symptoms, we suggest you immediately contact a health professional. Furthermore, prevention is better than cure. Be mindful of your surroundings and take the necessary preventive measures to avoid malaria.
