QUESTION What are the symptoms of malaria? ANSWER Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after … [Read more...]
When did malaria start?
QUESTION What year did malaria start? ANSWER Malaria first emerged as an infection of humans tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of years ago. The species of malaria that infect humans probably evolved from closely related malaria species that infect macaques (in the case of Plasmodium vivax) and gorillas (in the case of P. falciparum). The earliest records from human … [Read more...]
Malaria Transmission and Deaths in the United States
QUESTION How do you get malaria? How does malaria come to the United States? How many people have died from malaria? ANSWER Malaria is caused by infection with single-celled parasites called Plasmodium. There are five different species which infect humans; of these, Plasmodium falciparum is the most deadly. The Plasmodium parasites are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected … [Read more...]
P. Falciparum Malaria Treatment
QUESTION I dont have high fever yet have been diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria. How can this disease be treated and is it completely curable? ANSWER Don't worry, if diagnosed early and given appropriate treatment, P. falciparum infection is very easily cured. You should be given a type of medication called artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). An example is Coartem, which is a … [Read more...]
Evolution of Malaria
QUESTION how did malaria evolve? ANSWER Malaria in humans probably evolved independently several times, and both times likely due to a cross-over event from a closely related primate malaria. For example, Plasmodium vivax is evolutionarily closely related to several species of malaria found in macaque monkeys in south-east Asia, and so a cross-over of one of those species into human, with … [Read more...]
Dangerous
QUESTION Why malaria so dangerous? ANSWER Malaria can be dangerous for a number of different reasons, some of which relate to each other. First of all, there are five different types of malaria that infect humans, and each varies in terms of its severity and potential for severe consequences. Even within these types, the severity of the disease caused (termed "virulence" by scientists and … [Read more...]
Thalassaemia and Malaria
QUESTION How can Thalassaemia effect Malaria infection? ANSWER Thalassaemia is the name given to a group of inherited genetic blood disorders, which result in reduced or no synthesis of one of the globin protein chains that combine to make haemaglobin. Haemaglobin is used to carry oxygen throughout the body and to its organs. Thalassaemia can result in anaemia; in some cases, this is … [Read more...]
Malaria Parasite Picture
QUESTION Please show parasites pictures. ANSWER The first plate below shows various stages of the life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly form of malaria, and the most commonly found type in sub-Saharan Africa. Below that, a similar plate shows a series of images of Plasmodium vivax, the most widespread type of malaria. A: The stages of P. falciparum. 1: Normal red cell; … [Read more...]
Frequent Urination and Malaria
QUESTION Can malaria result in frequent urination, especially during night? ANSWER Malaria can affect the kidneys, especially malaria caused by P. falciparum. This could result in changes to urination patterns. However, at this stage in the infection, the patient would also be experiencing severe fever, chills and other symptoms associated with malaria. The fever would also likely be … [Read more...]
Malaria Recovery Time
QUESTION How long does it take to recover from malaria? ANSWER A number of different factors affect recovery time from malaria. These include the type of malaria, how quickly treatment is administered and the immune status of the patient. For example, children and pregnant women tend to get much more severe cases of malaria, due to their reduced natural immunity. The type of malaria … [Read more...]