The word derives from the Italian “mal aria” which means bad air. It was formerly believed that people who had bad air were sick.
Malaria is a potentially serious but curable infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted from person to person by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. In malaria the female mosquito of the genus Anopheles is the agent. Many different species of the Anopheles mosquito can transmit malaria. But the most aggressive species are the Anopheles Gambiae, the Anopheles Funestuns and the Anopheles Melas. Only female mosquitoes feed on blood and sting. Male mosquitoes feed exclusively on the sap of plants.
The Anopheles mosquito is born and lives in the water. The females deposit their larvae in stagnant water, marshes and dumpters. The accumulation of piles of garbage around the houses or yards is conducive to mosquito breeding. Although humans are the main host affected by the disease transmitted by the mosquito, they are also the greatest contributors, albeit involuntarily, to the creation of an environment conducive to the reproduction of mosquitoes.
In Angola there is an increase in malaria transmitted during the rainy season, with a peak between January and May. Malaria exists throughout the country and is the primary cause of illness, death, and for people being absent from work and school. The main victims are children under 5, representing the fifth leading cause of infant mortality in the country and pregnant women.
Main signs and symptoms
The first signs and symptoms of malaria appear about 15 days after the infected mosquito bite and are usually fever, general feeling of discomfort, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and chills. There may also be a feeling of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea.
Malaria, when undiagnosed and not treated in time, can cause death.
Confirmation of the diagnosis of the infected person is done by examining the Blood Droplet, which will determine the level of infection, and through which a doctor or health care provider can indicate the appropriate treatment.
The blood smear is a simple, effective, and inexpensive method that can be performed at any Health Center in Angola, there are also quick tests that can be purchased at the pharmacy.
The treatment of malaria is fairly simple if it is detected in a timely manner. Medicatation may only be administered under medical authority, otherwise they are a serious health hazard and may result in death.
Prevention of Malaria
As there is still no vaccine against malaria and mosquitoes are the transmitters of the disease, the fight and prevention has to be focused on the mosquitoes.Ensure cleanliness and sanitation, preventing mosquitoes from getting into your house. Mosquitos breed mainly in stagnant water, dumps, uncovered water tanks and tires.
During the night it is also important to take preventive measures, such as sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Install window mosquito netting to prevent mosquitoes from entering, spray the room with an insecticide or burn a mosquito coil 30 minutes to 1 hour before going to sleep.
Wear loose clothing and apply mosquito repellent to the exposed parts of your skin.
Children under 5 and pregnant women are most at risk when infected. Children under the age of 5 and pregnant women who have a fever or show other symptoms of malaria should consult a doctor and go to the nearest health center or clinic for treatment with a prescribed antimalarial medication.
Diagnosis of Malaria
The diagnosis of malaria is only possible by detecting the parasite, through blood analysis with specific diagnostic methods:
Blood smear: this is the method officially adopted in Angola for the diagnosis of malaria. Even with the advancement of diagnostic techniques, this examination remains simple, effective, low-cost and easy to perform. This technique is carried out by identifying the parasite examining under a microscope, a blood smear after staining with methylene blue dye and Giemsa dye, allowing the specific differentiation of the parasites from the analysis of their morphology, and the stages of development of the parasites found in the blood smear. Malaria parasites can be identified by examining under the microscope a drop of the patient’s blood, spread out as a “blood smear” on a microscope slide. Prior to examination, the specimen is stained (most often with the Giemsa stain) to give the parasites a distinctive appearance.
Malaria rapid diagnostic tests: They have a sensitivity greater than 95% when compared to the blood smear and with parasitemia greater than 100 parasites / μL. The RDT had superior performance than the standard Giemsa thick blood smear (p = .003). The RDT’s sensitivity for all malaria was 97% (92 of 95 samples), compared with 85% (81 of 95) for the blood smear, and the RDT had a superior NPV of 99.6%, compared with 98.2% for the blood smear (p = .001). The P. falciparum performance was excellent, with 100% rapid test sensitivity, compared with only 88% (65 of 74) by blood smear (p = .003).
Treatment
Malaria, when detected early, is a simple disease to treat. Early, timely and correct diagnosis and treatment of malaria are very important to avoid severe malaria and death.
For each plasmodium species a specific medication or combinations of medications are used in appropriate dosages according to the specific situation of the patient.
The treatment aims to ensure a rapid and affective clinical cure, preventing the progression from simple forms of malaria to more severe forms and consequently death.
Treatment of malaria also reduces the onset of malaria-associated anemia and in pregnant women, malaria-related placental infections.
High fever can cause severe dehydration. Therefeore it is advisable to increase the intake of fluids.
When a child has a fever, the mother should:
Give the child lots of liquids like water, kissangua or pineapple juice or milk
Dress the child in as little clothing as possible
Wet the child’s body with a sponge or towel soaked in water.
Take the child as soon as possible to the nearest health center or clinic.
Comply strictly with the antimalarial treatment recommended by the doctor. If the fever persists after the treatment the child should be seen by a doctor again.
