QUESTION After I treat my body with the malaria pill how long will it be to start working in my body? ANSWER The malaria medication will start working almost immediately after you take it. The way in which malaria pills work differ depending on the type of drug you are taking, but most act on the parasites which infect red blood cells in your body. As soon as the parasite's life cycle in … [Read more...]
Can I Catch Malaria from Someone?
QUESTION My fiancee contracted malaria a few years ago. It was diagnosed as recurring. Could I contract malaria from the infected person, I have had similar symptoms which last a day or two, recurring with regular two week intervals, of which the most concerning are malaise, fever, stiff neck, headaches and severe pains over abdomen spreading into my mid back. What should I … [Read more...]
Treatment of Chronic Vivax Malaria
QUESTION What is the treatment of chronic Vivax malaria? ANSWER Blood stage infection with Plasmodium vivax can usually be treated successfully with chloroquine, though resistance is spreading in some areas (notably the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, parts of south-east Asia and especially Indonesia, and Peru). P. vivax is also sensitive to artemisinin-based combination therapies … [Read more...]
What does the goverment do to help malaria?
QUESTION Does the goverment help malaria? ANSWER Many governments around the world assist in controlling malaria. Some countries, like Australia and the United States, used to have malaria transmission occur within their own borders, but through dedicated control programs, have managed to eradicate the disease locally. In these cases, the government coordinated huge programs of draining … [Read more...]
What is Malaria?
QUESTION What is malaria? ANSWER Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness. Four kinds of malaria parasites can infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. … [Read more...]
Headaches, Sweats, Nausea, Fatigue
QUESTION Since visiting Gambia I have been off food, suffering from headaches, sweats, nausea, tiredness and diarrhea after every meal, when I can eat that is. Do you think I should go to the doctor for a test for malaria? ANSWER Yes—whenever you have symptoms that include fever and sweats after visiting an area of high malaria transmission, it is always worthwhile getting a malaria … [Read more...]
How Many Malaria Deaths in Africa?
QUESTION What is the estimated number of deaths in Africa caused by malaria each year? ANSWER The exact numbers of deaths caused by malaria every year is very difficult to measure accurately, due to difficulties in diagnosis and also failure to report cases. However, the Roll Back Malaria partnership, coordinated by a host of international organisations including the World Health … [Read more...]
Malaria Symptoms
QUESTION How does the virus cause the symptoms? ANSWER Malaria is actually not caused by a virus—it is caused by a microscopic single-celled parasite called Plasmodium. Several different species cause malaria in humans, the most common of which are P. vivax and P. falciparum. To describe the process in a very oversimplified way, the malaria parasites cause disease by infecting … [Read more...]
Malaria Testing
QUESTION My daughter is in Kigoma, Tanzania and has the symptoms of Malaria. She was given Duo Cotecxin and it seems to have started making her feel better. But after reading up on all the different types of Malaria parasites I am wondering if a blood test reading at a clinic would be recommended or is it too late for an accurate reading now that she is on meds? ANSWER I am always very … [Read more...]
What is the Meaning of the Word “Malaria”?
QUESTION The word malaria comes from two medievial Italian words meaning? ANSWER Malaria comes from "mal" and "aria," which means "bad air." Before the parasite that caused malaria was discovered, people thought the disease was caused by foul air, and associated it with marshes and low-lying swamps. They were not 100% wrong—those areas are perfect breeding grounds for the mosquitoes … [Read more...]