QUESTION what are the methods for community based management for malaria? ANSWER Community-based management of malaria revolves around three main principles: prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Prevention mainly revolves around stopping mosquitoes from biting people. Methods for this include distribution of long-lasting insecticide treated bednets (and teaching people to use them … [Read more...]
Can Child Be Affected by Mother’s Malaria
QUESTION If the baby's mother has malaria, can it affect the child? ANSWER If the mother is pregnant when she gets malaria, particularly if it is her first pregnancy and particularly if she has never had malaria before, the effects on both the mother and child can be very serious. For the mother, this is because her immune system changes when she gets pregnant. This leaves her more … [Read more...]
Malaria Prevention
QUESTION What is malaria and the preventive measures? ANSWER Malaria is a disease caused by single-celled parasites of the genus Plasmodium. There are currently five species which cause disease in humans, and while each is slightly different, they all act in basically the same way, and cause similar symptoms. Of the five, the most dangerous is Plasmodium falciparum, which can lead to … [Read more...]
Malaria and Pregnancy
QUESTION Can your baby become immune if you're pregnant and you have malaria? ANSWER Some of the protective antibodies that the mother produces when she has malaria can pass to her baby via the placenta. There is also evidence for immune system "priming" in foetuses when their mothers have been infected my malaria during pregnancy. However, these potentially protective effects are usually … [Read more...]
Malaria Prevention
QUESTION what is the prevention of malaria? ANSWER There are many ways in which to prevent malaria. I'll break them down into three categories: 1) medical prevention, 2) protection from getting mosquito bites and 3) vector control. 1) Medical prevention Malaria can be prevented using certain medications. Taking drugs to prevent a disease is known as "chemoprophylaxis", and so these … [Read more...]
How serious is malaria as a disease?
QUESTION: (In conclusion to an earlier question regarding the seriousness of the disease and the way it is likely to affect population vigour if not controlled) - What can the community, the government, individuals (school children, parent, and teachers) do to improve the situation? ANSWER: The best way to improve the impact that malaria has upon populations afflicted by malaria is to … [Read more...]