Malaria Parasite Life Cycle In Human Body....
The disease is caused by the malaria parasite of which there are several varieties, each of which causes different clinical types of malaria. The parasites are carried by the anopheles group of mosquitoes which bite man to suck his blood and at the same time inject malaria parasites into the victim.
Symptoms. The symptoms are very variable, but in most attacks fever and rigors occur. The frequency of the rigors depends on the type of parasite in the patient's blood. But not all cases run true to type, and malaria can mimic almost any disease. Any febrile illness in a patient who has been in an area where malaria occurs should be regarded as possibly due to malaria and blood films should be examined for the parasites.
Diagnosis. This is made by the examination of stained films of the patient's blood. The examination takes only a few minutes. It should never be omitted in a febrile patient in or from a malarious country.
Types of malaria. Benign tertian malaria is characterized by rigors on alternate days. In spite of its name it is not always a mild disease Quartan malaria causes rigors every third day. Malignant tertian malaria can cause a wide variety of symptoms. There may be high continued fever with little or no daily variation, or the patient may be cold and clammy and collapsed. Cerebral malaria soon leads to coma and death if' not treated very quickly. Malaria' is always a curable disease if it is diagnosed early enough; but after a certain stage is passed in the worst cases, death is inevitable.
Treatment. Anti-malarial drugs destroy or suppress the parasite in the patient's body. The correct drug must be selected according to the type of parasite in the patient's body. Some of the drugs are:
Proguanil monohydrochloride. Pyrimethamine.
Chloroquine phosphate or sulphate.
Most of them cause some toxicity, and drug resistance tends to develop in the malaria parasite so that research is constantly going on to discover new drugs, and so keep ahead of the parasite's resistance.
The drugs are used both for prophylaxis and treatment. In prophylaxis the drug prevents the parasite multiplying in the patient's body and so prevents symptoms. The drug must be taken regularly all the time the person is in a malarious area and for some time after. Even if a person is in such an area for an hour or two, in port or airport, he should have suppressive treatment.
Treatment of an attack requires bigger does the drug chosen depends on the type of parasite. In severe cases the drug must be given intravenously, and emergency measures include intravenous infusions and the use of various anti-shock drugs.
Prevention. Prevention can be considered under three heads..-.preventing the breeding of mosquitoes, preventing mosquitoes from biting man, and the use of suppressive drugs. The prevention of breeding depends on abolishing swamps and pools of stagnant water in which the larvae (young forms) of the parasite grow. The larvae can also be attacked by various sprays applied to collections of water, sometimes from aeroplanes. Prevention of bites means the wearing of special clothing and footwear when mosquitoes are about, and the use of nets over doors and windows and round beds. The use of suppressive drugs has already been discussed.
The disease is caused by the malaria parasite of which there are several varieties, each of which causes different clinical types of malaria. The parasites are carried by the anopheles group of mosquitoes which bite man to suck his blood and at the same time inject malaria parasites into the victim.
Symptoms. The symptoms are very variable, but in most attacks fever and rigors occur. The frequency of the rigors depends on the type of parasite in the patient's blood. But not all cases run true to type, and malaria can mimic almost any disease. Any febrile illness in a patient who has been in an area where malaria occurs should be regarded as possibly due to malaria and blood films should be examined for the parasites.
Diagnosis. This is made by the examination of stained films of the patient's blood. The examination takes only a few minutes. It should never be omitted in a febrile patient in or from a malarious country.
Types of malaria. Benign tertian malaria is characterized by rigors on alternate days. In spite of its name it is not always a mild disease Quartan malaria causes rigors every third day. Malignant tertian malaria can cause a wide variety of symptoms. There may be high continued fever with little or no daily variation, or the patient may be cold and clammy and collapsed. Cerebral malaria soon leads to coma and death if' not treated very quickly. Malaria' is always a curable disease if it is diagnosed early enough; but after a certain stage is passed in the worst cases, death is inevitable.
Treatment. Anti-malarial drugs destroy or suppress the parasite in the patient's body. The correct drug must be selected according to the type of parasite in the patient's body. Some of the drugs are:
Proguanil monohydrochloride. Pyrimethamine.
Chloroquine phosphate or sulphate.
Most of them cause some toxicity, and drug resistance tends to develop in the malaria parasite so that research is constantly going on to discover new drugs, and so keep ahead of the parasite's resistance.
The drugs are used both for prophylaxis and treatment. In prophylaxis the drug prevents the parasite multiplying in the patient's body and so prevents symptoms. The drug must be taken regularly all the time the person is in a malarious area and for some time after. Even if a person is in such an area for an hour or two, in port or airport, he should have suppressive treatment.
Treatment of an attack requires bigger does the drug chosen depends on the type of parasite. In severe cases the drug must be given intravenously, and emergency measures include intravenous infusions and the use of various anti-shock drugs.
Prevention. Prevention can be considered under three heads..-.preventing the breeding of mosquitoes, preventing mosquitoes from biting man, and the use of suppressive drugs. The prevention of breeding depends on abolishing swamps and pools of stagnant water in which the larvae (young forms) of the parasite grow. The larvae can also be attacked by various sprays applied to collections of water, sometimes from aeroplanes. Prevention of bites means the wearing of special clothing and footwear when mosquitoes are about, and the use of nets over doors and windows and round beds. The use of suppressive drugs has already been discussed.
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