QUESTION How does malaria spread? ANSWER Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. Please see on Malaria Symptoms and Causes for more information. … [Read more...]
What is Acute Malaria?
QUESTION What does acute malaria mean? ANSWER Acute malaria is severe malaria, with major signs of organ dysfunction and/or high level of malarial parasites on blood tests. In endemic areas, young children and pregnant women are at high risk for severe malaria. Older children and adults develop partial immunity after repeated infections; these groups are thus at relatively low risk for … [Read more...]
Malaria Treatment Options
QUESTION What can be used or eaten to treat malaria? ANSWER There are many drugs which can be used to treat malaria. Of these, the World Health Organization recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to be used as first-line treatment against uncomplicated, non-severe malaria, and intravenous artesunate as the first-line therapy against severe or complicated malaria. More … [Read more...]
Diet During Malaria Episode
QUESTION What kind of diet should be followed by a malaria patient, specially when he is vomiting after every intake of food or liquid? ANSWER There are no specific diet specifications for people ill with malaria. Since many people feel nauseous and sick to their stomach (as you mentioned) while they are suffering from the disease, it may be hard to get people to eat anything at all. … [Read more...]
Time Needed for Malarial Parasite to Develop in Mosquito
QUESTION How long must a malaria parasite grow in its host before it can be transmitted to humans? ANSWER The successful development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito (from the "gametocyte" stage to the "sporozoite" stage) depends on several factors, but usually takes 10 - 18 days. The most important is ambient temperature and humidity (higher temperatures accelerate the parasite … [Read more...]
Abdominal Pain During Malaria
QUESTION why abdominal pain in malaria? ANSWER Patients with malaria often experience abdominal pain due to rapid inflammation and swelling of the liver and spleen. … [Read more...]
Positive RDT After Malaria Treatment
QUESTION I have Pv malaria repeated 2 times in two month then doctor give arthemether, lumefantrine tablet for three days twice in a day and primaquine tablet for 14 days..after this treatment malaria show positive on rapid test by a faint line....what is this? ANSWER It sounds like your doctor has treated you appropriately. What the line on the rapid test means depends a bit on the type … [Read more...]
Dosage of Lumartem
QUESTION I am on lumartem treatment, and was told to take four[4] tablets at a time twice a day; but I see on leaflet two[2] tablet twice a day.....will it cause me any harm? ANSWER The dosage for Lumartem is by weight. For people weighing over 35 kg (77 pounds) the dosage is 4 tablets twice a day as you were prescribed. … [Read more...]
Effects of Malaria on Brain
QUESTION Can malaria or the fever of malaria (or the medication) cause a teen to become depressed and suicidal 18 months on. ANSWER That is unlikely. Malaria, when treated, usually resolves completely, without any lingering effects. In some cases, people with severe cerebral malaria can have lasting neurological impacts, such as altered behaviour and difficulties with learning. Some … [Read more...]
Is Malaria Transmitted by Female Mosquitoes?
QUESTION Is malaria caused by only female mosquitoes? ANSWER Malaria is only transmitted by female mosquitoes, yes. This is because only female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles (the genus that transmits malaria in mammals, including humans) feed on blood, and the parasite that causes malaria (called Plasmodium) spends part of its life cycle in the blood. Therefore, when a female mosquito … [Read more...]