Malaria: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Symptoms

Symptoms of malaria commonly include fever, chills, sweats, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Some individuals may experience additional symptoms like cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, chest pains, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, or shock. Persistent non-specific symptoms or atypical presentations may complicate the diagnosis.

Causes

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites known as Plasmodium, primarily P. falciparum and P. vivax. These parasites are transmitted to humans via infected female Anopheles mosquitoes during blood feeding. Humans cannot directly transmit the disease to others without going through the mosquito intermediate host.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing malaria typically involves a combination of clinical examination, laboratory tests, and sometimes imaging techniques. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are often used, which detect specific proteins produced by the parasite in the patient's blood. Microscopic analysis of thick and thin blood films, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and complete blood count are also utilized for confirmation.

Treatment

Appropriate treatments include anti-malarial drugs chosen based on the type of Plasmodium causing the illness and the individual's response to previous therapies. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) or alternative regimens like quinine and clindamycin are recommended as first-line treatments for uncomplicated malaria. Severe malaria requires intensive care support, such as intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, respiratory assistance, and organ failure management. Malnutrition, physical exhaustion, and underlying diseases may exacerbate the severity of the condition.

Prevention

Preventive measures involve reducing contact with infected mosquitoes and controlling mosquito populations. Personal protective actions include wearing insect repellent, sleeping under treated bed nets, and applying residual insecticide to walls inside homes. Chemoprevention with primaquine for P. vivax and P. ovale infections, mass drug administration in high-risk communities, and the targeting of vector habitats with larval space controls can play roles in broader prevention strategies.