Journal of Infectious Diseases & Therapy
Open Access

Malaria is an infectious disease spread through the bites of female Anopheles mosquito. A female Anopheles mosquito bite injects malarial parsite in to the bloodstream of an individual. It is caused by parasites not by the viruses or bacteria. If the affected person has left untreated, malaria can leads to serious health issues such as seizures, brain damage, and difficulty in breathing in some cases organ failure and death. This disease is rare in the United States, with approximately 2,000 cases per year. People who are infected and travel to the United States can spread the disease after being bitten by a mosquito and then by another person. Malaria is common in hot and humid tropical regions. In 2020, worldwide 241 million cases of malaria reported and 6,27,000 people died from malaria. The majority of these cases occur in Africa and South Asia. Anyone can get infected by malaria, but people living in Africa are at higher risk than others. Young children, the elderly and pregnant women are at higher risk of dying from malaria. People who live in poverty and lack access to medical care are more likely to develop complications from this disease. More than 90% of malaria deaths occur in Africa, and most of the deaths are young children under the age of 5. When a mosquito bites a malaria patient, the mosquito becomes infected and if it bites another person, the malarial parasite will transfer into the bloodstream. This is where parasites breeding starts.

The five kinds of malaria parasites the infect humans are Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, P. knowlesi. Rarely, pregnant women infected with malaria and the infection transfer to their children before or during childbirth. Transmission of malaria through blood transfusions, organ donations, and hypodermic needles is possible. Symptoms of malaria usually appear 10 days to a month after infection. Depending up on the type of parasite, symptoms may be mild. Some people don't feel sick even a year after being bitten by a mosquito. Parasites can live in the body for years without causing symptoms. Malaria patients usually have symptoms like high fever, nausea, and chills. About 210 million people were infected by malaria each year, and 440,000 die. The worst thing is that young children most often die from this disease.

The only thing to prevent the onset of this disease is avoiding mosquito bites by using mosquito repellents with DEET to exposed skin. By drapping mosquito nets and other fabrics with insect repellents. In addition, the probability of becoming severity varies from person to person depending on physical condition and health condition. The parasite lies dormant in the liver and is released into the bloodstream after several years. When the parasite begins to circulate, symptoms begin again. It is important to share information about recently visited countries so that the doctor can accurately understand that person’s risk factors. A doctor will take a blood sample and send it to a laboratory to determine whether a person is infected by the malaria parasite. Blood test is useful to diagnose malaria and identifies the type of parasite. Health care providers use this information to determine the correct treatment. New and improved diagnostics are essential for effective control of malaria. Health care provider will prescribe drugs that kills malarial parasite. Some parasites are resistant to antimalarial drugs. Some drugs are given in combination with other drugs. The type of parasite determines the type of drug to take and how long it should be taken. Antimalarial drugs include artemether and artesunate. When possible, the best treatment for Plasmodium falciparum is artemisinin combination therapy. Antimalarial drugs can cause side effects. Depending on the medication, side effects may includes Gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as nausea and diarrhea, Headaches, Increased sensitivity to sunlight, Insomnia and disturbing dreams, Psychological disorders and vision problems, Seizures, Anemia.