...Malaria Malaria is a potentially fatal illness of tropical and subtropical regions. The disease is caused by a parasite which is transmitted to human beings bitten by infected mosquitoes. The disease is widespread in Africa, and over one million people die of malaria every year on the continent. Symptoms of malaria may include a generalized body ache, tiredness, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, and fever. It is worth mentioning that these symptoms may not be dramatic, and can easily be mistaken for an attack of influenza or similar non-life threatening illness. A decline can then be sudden and dramatic, with a rapid increase in the number of parasites in the victim's blood stream. A high wavering fever may develop, with shivering and dramatic perspiration. Complications of a serious nature, such as involvement of the kidneys or brain may then follow. Cerebral malaria is extremely serious, with the victim becoming delirious and entering a coma. Cerebral malaria is frequently fatal, and it is extremely important that all suspected cases of malaria should receive medical attention as soon as is possible. All persons possibly exposed to malaria that develop any influenza like illness or fever within seven days of entering, or three months of departing a malarious area should seek medical attention, and have blood tests taken to check for possible malaria infection. It is preferable for such blood tests to be taken during a bout of fever. It may be sensible to have a second...
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...Introduction: The word malaria comes from 18th century Italian “male” meaning "bad" and “aria” meaning "air". The term was first coined by Dr. Francisco Torti, Italy, when people thought the disease was caused by foul air in marshy areas. It was not until 1880 that scientists discovered that malaria was a parasitic disease which is transmitted by the “Anopheles” mosquito. Malaria is one of the most widespread infectious diseases of our time. There are more than 225 million cases of malaria each year, taking the lives of 781,000 people a year (World Malaria Report, 2010). Major proportion of death occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa and victims are under the age of 5. Children and pregnant women are among the most vulnerable. Many Sub-tropical countries of Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, Oceania and Asia are at risk. It is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide and almost 40% world’s population is at risk. Causes: Malaria parasites are members of the genus Plasmodium. P.falciparum, P.malariae, P.ovale, P.vivax and P.knowlesi are responsible for malaria in humans. P.falciparum is the most common type of infection and is responsible for 80% of all malaria cases and 90% deaths from malaria. “Malaria parasites contain apicoplasts an organelle usually found in plants, complete with their own functioning genomes. These apicoplast are thought to have originated through the endosymbiosys of algae and play a crucial role in various aspects of parasite metabolism e.g. fatty acid...
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...There are many communicable diseases that can affect our community. Malaria is one that is increasing in the number of outbreaks reported each year. This analysis of malaria will help identify the disease, discuss the epidemiological determinants of the outbreak and the effect to the community at a system level, as well as identify the reporting protocol, protocol execution plan and prevention strategies. Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide, particularly in Africa and South Asia. There are four types of Malaria. The most severe type is a microscopic parasite called Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria-like symptoms were first described in ancient Chinese medical writing, then in 2700 BC, malaria was described in the Nei Ching, The Canon of Medicine. Malaria became widely spread in Greece by the 4th century BC. Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a French army surgeon was the first to notice parasites in the blood when stationed in Algeria in 1880 and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1907 for his findings (CDC). The United States eliminated malaria in the early 1950’s, but up to 2,000 cases of malaria are reported annually, mainly due to foreign travelers. The transmission and risk factors are epidemiological determinants of this outbreak of malaria. First, malaria is transmitted primarily by Anopheles mosquito bites. It is transmitted in most cases by an infected female mosquito. The parasites are transmitted to humans from the mosquito’s saliva to the blood...
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...Malaria has a long history since it first appeared more than 4000 years ago. It has always proved very deadly to the human race (CDC, n.d.). It is unknown when Malaria come across into the US. However, during the construction of the Panama Canal at the turn of the 20th century, U.S. officials made great progress in controlling malaria which was wide spread in the U.S. at that time. By 1914 eradication efforts reduced Malaria to about 6000,000 cases per year. By 1934, that number was further reduced to about 125,5000 cases per year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium in mosquitoes. Human malaria is caused by four different species of Plasmodium: P. Falciparum, P. Malariae, P. Ovale and P. Vivax. A person can get malaria by mosquitoes that are infected with the Plasmodium species. In 2011, approximately 2,000 cases of malaria were diagnosed and treated in the United States (CDC, n.d.). There were top 3 states of malaria outbreak cases in the US. There were 238 cases in New York City, 126 in Maryland, and 104 in New Jersey. The overall number of cases represents an increase of 14 percent from the 1,691 cases reported for 2010 and the largest number of reported cases since 1971. Many malaria cases were reported diagnosed each year in the United States are imported from regions where mosquito borne malaria transmission is known to occur. 75 percent occurred among U.S. residents and 25 percent among residents...
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...November, 10 2013 Malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of human beings as well as other animals that is caused by parasitic protozoans belonging to the genus Plasmodium. This disease is prevalent in tropical as well as subtropical areas in a wide circle around the equator, including a large part of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Even though the agent for P. falciparum malaria has existed for 50,000 to 100,000 years, the population of the parasite did not rise until approximately 10,000 years ago, at the same time with progresses in agriculture (Harper and Armelagos) together with the human settlements development. Human malaria parasites’ close relatives are still common in chimpanzees. A number of evidence proposes that the origin of P. falciparum malaria may be from gorillas (Prugnolle, Durand and Ollomo). The disease was previously referred to as marsh fever or ague because of its relationship with marshland and swamps (Reiter). Malaria was, at one time, common in the majority of North America and Europe, but it is no longer prevalent, although imported instances do take place (Webb). Malaria used to be the most significant health hazard faced by U.S. military personnel in the South Pacific in the course of the Second World War, where approximately 500,000 men became infected (Bray), and 60,000 American troops lost their lives from malaria during the South Pacific and African campaigns (Byrne). Scientific research on malaria made its initial...
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...Of the malaria prevention mechanisms, vector control has the capacity to decrease malaria transmission to almost negligible. Of the various vector control methods, Insecticide Treated Nets and Indoor Residual Spraying are the most widespread. Insecticide Treated Nets * It is the leading strategy in high transmission regions. The insecticide in the nets repel or kill mosquitos that come in contact * However, these must be retreated every 6 months, which is a financial and logistical burden. * Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets are a solution as they directly infuse the insecticide into netting fabric to increase the life-span to 5 years. Indoor Residual Spraying * In IRS, insecticides are sprayed onto residential walls in high transmission regions, with the insecticide performing a similar function as in ITNs. * DDT was successful in reducing mosquito populations after WW2. However, its environmental problems lead to its replacement by pyrethroids, organophosphates and carbamates Insecticide Resistance * Insecticide Resistance in mosquitos is the major problem with these two methods * Need for new alternatives and resistance management as outlined in WHO’s Global plan for insecticide resistance management in malaria vectors (GPIRM) Chemoprophylaxis * Refers to antimalarial drugs that suppress the blood stage of malaria to prevent it. * It is mainly for low immune non-residents exposed for short durations and not for high transmission countries...
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...Eliminating Malaria Brown 1 Malaria was first discovered in ancient times. The cause of Malaria was discovered by French scientist Alphonse Laveran in 1880 and 20 years later the type of mosquito responsible for the transmission was discovered by scientists in Italy and India. There is no malaria vaccine that has been proven to be effective and researchers all over the world are working to find a vaccine that will eventually eliminate malaria. Despite the obstacles, they are optimistic that a vaccine is in reach. Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium and it is transmitted by certain types of mosquitos. Once bitten, the parasite targets liver cells and then proceeds to target red blood cells (RBCs). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), “Because the malaria parasite is found in RBCs, malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared use of needles or syringes contaminated with blood. Malaria also may be transmitted from a mother to her fetus before or during delivery” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 12). Malaria is very uncommon in the United States; however, it is still widespread in tropical and subtropical countries. It is mainly a problem in Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Indo-Pacific regions. According to Dr. Ananya Mandal: In 2010, according to the World Health Organization, there were 216 million episodes of malaria and 655,000 deaths worldwide...
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...C Malaria control strategies Malaria remains a major public health and development challenge in Zambia. It currently accounts for nearly four million clinically diagnosed cases per year, 36% of hospitalisations and outpatient department visits, and from one previous study at University Teaching Hospital, up to 20% of maternal mortality. In addition to the direct health impact of malaria, there is also a severe social and economic burden on communities and the country as a whole, but especially on the poorest among us, and those vulnerable individuals and households who are also trying to cope with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Thus malaria control is addressed, not as a separate, vertical, disease-specific intervention but as part of a health systems strengthening effort to provide holistic services in all facets of care, and as part of a larger community-development effort. Through the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2006-2010, the Government of Zambia and many Roll Back Malaria Partners are committed to increasing coverage of key malaria control interventions and reducing the burden of malaria throughout the country. The strategies employed to control malaria in Zambia include: 1. Case Management - Malaria Case Management is implemented and improved at community and health facilities through: Prompt recognition, diagnosis and effective anti-malarial treatment using artimisinin-based combination therapy (ACTs) as 1st line treatment Currently artemether-lumefantrine...
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...Issue Report: Malaria The abstract: This report will be exploring the cause of malaria, the symptoms that occur in infected people and the many treatments being tested and used to treat the disease of malaria. Malaria is a disease caused by an infection of the red blood cells with a tiny organism called protozoa. There are four different types of species of the malaria protozoa (Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae) and each has a slightly different effect on the body. These organisms are carried from person to person by the main mosquito called Anopheles. When it bites an infected person, the mosquito sucks up blood containing the parasite, which may then be passed on to someone else when a mosquito bites them. ‘It is estimated that 300 to 500 million malaria infections occur annually and 90% of these are in the sub-Saharan Africa’. [8] The problem: Malaria is a biological problem because it affects the body, this could be through having various symptoms such as shivering and vomiting or it could result in problems with people’s red blood cells and cause them to be fragile and not functioning properly. The problem of contracting malaria is finding a cure for it or finding the right treatment to treat the infected person. At the moment biologists are trying to find a cure that will effectively work within the body and invent a new vaccine that helps boosts people’s immune systems so that they respond effectively to the treatment...
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...Malaria in Rural Tanzania Monica Thompson SOC300 August 29, 2012 Dr. Mark Perry Introduction Approximately half of the world's population is at risk for contracting malaria, particularly those living in lower-income countries” (WHO, 2013). It is a major public health issue that plagues developing countries around the world; however, “more than seventy percent of the total morbidity is in Africa” (Snow et al., 2005). Although both preventive measures and treatments exist, malaria prevails as one of the biggest killers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Children, pregnant women and HIV-infected individuals are most susceptible to contracting the illness. Tanzania, located in east Africa, is among one of the poorest of countries in the world and is burdened with malaria. There are several factors that contribute to the malaria endemic in Tanzania, including: poverty, environmental and special factors, and access to healthcare. Background Malaria has been in existence since 2700 B.C. (Lambert, 2003). In fact, the ancient Chinese wrote about its symptoms in their medical writings. It is believed to have originated in Western-Africa. In 1879 Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a Public Health researcher began his studies on malaria in an Algerian hospital. He noticed that there was a pigment in the blood of people who suffered from malaria, but he was unsure of what that pigment was. After ten years of extensive...
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...Throughout history diseases have plagued the world and one disease, malaria, is up there as the most deadly. In this week’s readings, Giovanni Verga`s, “Malaria,” it talks about such disease. In the concept of industrialization, sickness brings forth another wave of sickness which killed millions. Although this was a time of political up-rest, disease effected everyone and even then they didn’t have anything to cure/or really even treat the disease. Once you got the symptoms, you would either just live with the nasty aftereffects or just succumb to it. In the reading it talks about how people who just simply live with it for in sense forever until they would get it again and die finally from it. It’s like a curse of death, but death doesn’t...
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...The last section of this book discusses many of the ideology’s that have resulted in failed treatment for malaria. The author discusses how over the centuries research on malaria has searched for a single cure to the problem. She shows how this futile search for a single answer to malaria has led to years of wasted effort and resources. Malaria is a constantly evolving disease and so research and cures need to evolve along with it if we wish to conquer malaria. She also points out that the fight against malaria needs to be ongoing and we can’t stop research simply because there is currently a solution for malaria. When the United States found that DDT killed the mosquitos that carried malaria they almost entirely stopped research on malaria...
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...MALARIA; THE DEADLY DISEASE Malaria is a threat to more than 40% of the world’s population and out of the more than 300 million acute cases each year between 1.1 and 2.7 million people die each year (RBM, 2002; WHO, 2000). The report by Planet – science.com, 2013 indicates that ‘Malaria is a major cause of death. Every year there are over 200 million cases of malaria worldwide. In 2010, around 655,000 people died from malaria. Over 90% of malaria cases occur in Africa. Poverty and lack of access to simple preventative measures lead to an increased occurrence of the disease. In Northern Province of Zambia, Malaria has continued to be a threat and more than 50% of morbidity and mortality that occur are as a result of Malaria.(Northern Province Statistical Bulletin, 2011). Morbidity is the number of cases, whilst mortality is the number of deaths due to the disease. Malaria; the deadly illness caused by a bite of the mosquitoes and similar insects, can be cured and prevented through the use of anti-malarial drugs and spraying of chemicals(indoor residual spraying). I therefore, feel that the spraying of chemicals in homes and breeding places can positively reduce the number of mosquitoes and contribute to reduction in malaria cases. By so doing the cost of seeking treatment will drastically be cheap and reduced as long as human behavior, the existence of socio-cultural and traditional factors such as economic, spiritual, technological and political and all effects that...
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...As World Health Organization explains, “Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes” (2016).The common symptoms of malaria are chill, high fever, headache, and vomiting, and they appear around seven days or more. In some case, malaria can lead to death because people have a severe illness. According to WHO World Malaria Report 2015, “there were 214 million new cases of malaria worldwide in 2015” (2015). There are four steps for prevention of malaria. The first is awareness of the risk of malaria. People should know information about malaria to protect yourselves from the disease. Second, People should avoid mosquito bites to decrease the risk of infection. Then, to take the antimalarial medication is one of the ways to prevent malaria. The last is prompt diagnosis and treatment when you concern you are infecting this...
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...Overview of Malaria as a Microbial Disease Students Name Institutional Affiliation Introduction Quinn et.al. (2011) defines microbial diseases as sickness or ailments that affect animals and humans as a result of the introduction of one or four different types of microbes. For instance, Sorvari and Pirttila (2008) define microbes as tiny invisible disease-causing organisms only seen by the use of a powerful. Notably, there are four different types of pathogens that cause sickness. These are viral diseases that are the most common type of microbe causing diseases to human beings. Examples of viral diseases include AIDS, chicken pox, influenza and measles (World Health Organization, 2004). Bacterial diseases such as anthrax, cholera, chlamydia and peptic ulcer diseases give an account of the second class of microbial diseases. Fungal diseases such as athlete’s foot and Dutch elm disease form the third class whereas protozoan diseases occupy the fourth place in the division and consist of diseases such as malaria, giardiasis, and cryptosporidiosis. According to the World Health Organization (2004) an epidemic refers to a rapid spread of infectious diseases to affect large numbers of people in a given location. For example, the spread of meningococcal infection. Endemic diseases are infections with the ability to remain constant in a given region without the need for external inputs such as malaria and chicken pox. In addition, pandemics are diseases that spread throughout...
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