by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
How many humans die of malaria in Africa?
ANSWER
According to the World Health Organization’s Roll Back Malaria programme (Roll Back Malaria – Key Facts), 665,000 people died from malaria globally in 2010, with 91% or 596,000 people dying in Africa alone. Eighty-six (86%) of deaths were in children under five years of age.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
How long does a person have to get to a doctor if they suspect they may have malaria?
ANSWER
Once you suspect you have malaria (symptoms include very high fever, chills, head and body ache etc) you should seek care and have a blood smear done to identify the parasite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. If not promptly treated, infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. It is best to prevent malaria, but once you have it it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of the disease in order to get early and appropriate treatment.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
I am due to travel to South Goa on 27th October 2012. It is 9th Oct now. It says I should start taking my tablets 1 week before traveling, however I was wondering if it was okay to start taking them now so my body can get used to the side affects before I travel. I do not want to be ill all the time whilst I am away.
ANSWER
Yes, you do need to take preventive medicine against malaria when visiting India and it is best to follow instructions given by your doctor or the drug insert. For India, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends Malarone (Atovaquone/proguanil), Doxycycline and Mefloquine as drugs to prevent malaria.
Malarone needs to be started 1-2 days before travel to a malarial area, taken daily and continued for 7 days after leaving the area.
Doxycycline needs to be started 1-2 days before travel, is taken daily and needs to be continued for 4 weeks after leaving malarial areas.
Mefloquine needs to be started 2 weeks before travel, is taken weekly, and needs to be continued for 4 weeks after leaving.
Chloroquine is NOT recommended for India because of resistance, so it is not effective.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
What measures can local people take to limit malaria infection?
ANSWER
People living in malarial areas can do a lot to protect themselves from getting malaria. There are community programs for vector control (to control or eliminate mosquitoes) that include draining swamps to remove mosquito breeding habitat, spraying with insecticide, and using biological control techniques. In addition, to prevent people from getting mosquito bites, communities can educate families to screen their windows (if possible), to sleep under long lasting insecticide treated bednets, to cover their arms and legs with clothing and to avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are biting. Communities can also educate people to identify signs and symptoms of malaria and to seek early treatment to avoid serious disease and possibly death. See Malaria Prevention and Control for more information.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
What are the symptoms of malaria?
ANSWER
This is a frequently asked question. Please see Malaria Symptoms and Causes for more information. The most common symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. If you think you may have malaria because you have these symptoms you should seek help including a blood test to identify the malarial parasite.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
I will be traveling to the Ivory Coast for two weeks. I will be staying with my in-laws in the city in very clean conditions with a/c etc. I am a strict vegetarian so I will be bringing most of my food and will have access to clean water. I myself grew up in an undeveloped nation so I am used to precautions needed to prevent illness. However, mosquitoes do seem to love to bite me.
I sadly just had a miscarriage and want to try to conceive again within the next month. My doctor has prescribed Atovaquone-Proguanil for me. I am concerned about taking the drug since my body is recovering and as I said I want to try to conceive upon returning. How long will this drug stay in my system? Does it effect fertility or a fetus? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? How likely it is that I wouldn’t show signs of malaria until much later after potentially conceiving? I am also concerned of the emotional side effects of the medicine coupled with my recent loss.
Thank you for any information.
ANSWER
Firstly I am very sorry for your loss. Your doctor prescribed Atovaquone-Proguanil which is a first class drug to prevent malaria. Some people do experience side effects but many do not. It is recommended to take the pill at the same time each day and with food or a milky drink. Start taking the drug 1-2 days before you arrive and continue for a week afterwards. The drug should be out of your system within a few days after stopping it. Don’t try to conceive until after that. While I do not know how long ago you had the miscarriage, WHO and UNICEF recommend waiting around 6 months before trying again, so that your body (and emotions) can recover fully.
Besides taking Atovaquone-Proguanil, be sure to protect yourself from mosquito bites; protect you legs and arms by wearing long sleeves and trousers/long skirt, avoid being out during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes like to feed, use an insect repellent (you can try citronella if you are worried about chemicals), and if the house isn’t screened (or even if it is), sleep under a long acting insecticide treated bed net. Enjoy your trip and take care.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
What is the parasite of malaria?
ANSWER
Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. There are four main types of malaria which infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale. P. ovale additionally can be split into two sub-species, P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri. Each of these five kinds has a subtly different life cycle which results in slight variations in symptoms and also in treatment, so knowing which one a person has is important for choosing the most appropriate treatment. For more information on this, see our website http://www.malaria.com/overview/malaria-symptoms-causes.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
My 14 day old daughter has a body temperature of about 38.3 C and breathes a bit rapidly. Can it be a sign of malaria?
ANSWER
In newborns, it is sometimes difficult to tell exactly what is wrong. The majority of newborns who get sick after delivery, get an infection (from bacteria, not malaria). WHO and UNICEF have identified the following “danger signs.” If the baby has one or more of the following signs, take the baby to a hospital with qualified personnel and drugs immediately. Once there, the staff can treat the baby and test for malaria if indicated.
or Yellow soles (sign of jaundice)
Signs of local infection:
All newborns, infants and young children in malarial areas need to be protected from malaria and should sleep under an long acting, insecticide treated bed net.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
Where malaria is occurring, and what is the impact on society?
ANSWER
Malaria takes a huge toll, personally as well as in the larger society. It has been estimated that malaria costs Africa $12 billion USD every year, including the cost of health care, days off school and work, decreased productivity, and loss of investment and tourism. Malaria in Africa slows economic growth and development and perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty. Malaria is truly a disease of poverty — afflicting primarily the poor who tend to live in malaria-prone rural areas in poorly-constructed dwellings that offer few, if any, barriers against mosquitoes. Close to a million people die each year from malaria; over 90% of those live in Africa, and the great majority (86%) are children under five years of age.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
My husband is currently working in Mozambique, and is sick with a fever, headache, and pain in his joints. Can this be malaria?
ANSWER
It could be. Your husband should go to the clinic and get tested. The standard diagnosis for malaria depends on the demonstration of parasites on a blood smear examined under a microscope. In some settings, where microscopic examination is not possible, or as a quick response, clinics can use an RDT or rapid diagnostic test on a drop of blood. If your husband is in a place without any available testing methods, the health worker may treat him on his symptoms alone (this is called presumptive treatment). It is important to seek care early because if it is malaria it can get serious very quickly.