Diagnostic test for malaria?

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QUESTION:

What are the possible diagnoses tests?

ANSWER:

A blood test is usually required to diagnose malaria, although the blood can be used in a number of different ways. The most common, traditional form of diagnosis is a blood smear, observed under a microscope by a qualified technician. These can be “thick” or “thin”; the “thick” smear examines a whole drop of blood for the presence of the malaria parasites infecting the patient’s red blood cells. Because a relatively large volume of blood is examined in this way, the thick smear is useful for detecting low levels of parasites in the blood, and therefore is good for an initial “positive or negative” diagnosis. The thin smear allows for a closer look at the infected blood cells, and thus can be used to identify the species of malaria, which can be important for giving the patient appropriate treatment. The danger with blood smears is that very low intensity infections can sometimes be missed, given the a low number of parasites in the blood.

More recently, a number of antibody tests have been developed to test for malaria. These so-called “rapid diagnostic tests” (or RDTs) do not require the expertise of a blood smear and only need a tiny droplet of blood, and so can even be performed at home as part of a self-testing kit. Different tests have been developed to test between the various different species of malaria. While quick and easy, there are some concerns over the sensitivity and specificity of the various tests; trials in the field have gone some way to quantifying the effectiveness of these tests in different contexts. One potential advantage of RDTs is that in some cases they seem capable of positively diagnosing low intensity infections, that would be missed by traditional blood smear. A disadvantage for wide-spread use of these tests, especially in low resource settings, is that they are very expensive.

Finally, the advent of DNA-based techniques for identifying malaria parasites means that PCR (polymerase chain reaction) can be used on a patient’s blood for an almost fool-proof diagnosis, not only of species but also, to a certain extent, of intensity. However, this procedure takes time, is expensive and requires a fully equipped laboratory with trained personnel; as such, it is not usually used for every day diagnosis of malaria infections, and especially not in developing countries where the vast majority of malaria cases occur.

Malaria Re-occurrence

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QUESTION:

I’ve been infected with malaria vivax, for this i’ve taken the treatment for three days, after three days i don’t have any symptoms but after two days again I’m feeling the fever and abdominal pain which i’m having since the diagnosis is still persisting. Why is it happening? Are there any chances even after treatment for re-occurrence? My urine is yellow color but there is no jaundice?

ANSWER:

“Vivax” malaria, caused by the parasite Plasmodium vivax, is known for cyclical fevers every couple of days. As such, it may be that while the medication is working, you are still experiencing some mild symptoms as the infection is not completely cleared. For this reason, it is very important to take the full course of medication prescribed to you by your doctor; DO NOT stop taking it as soon as you feel better, as you might not have killed all of the malaria parasites in your blood, putting yourself at risk for the infection to persist. Alternatively, it might be that the strain of P. vivax you have is not responding to the medication you have been given; in parts of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, for example, the local strains of P. vivax have been shown to have high levels of chloroquine resistance, which is usually used for treating P. vivax. If you are located in an area of known P. vivax resistance to chloroquine, your doctor should be able to recommend a different regimen of treatment to ensure that the infection is cured thoroughly. You should take a blood test after completing treatment to be sure that the parasite is no longer in your blood stream. In addition, P. vivax can produce dormant liver stages called hypnozoites that can remain within the liver hepatocyte cells and cause relapse or recurrence of the disease many weeks or months after the initial infection. To destroy these liver stages, and thus prevent relapse, you should ask your doctor about taking another drug once you have completed your initial treatment. This second drug is called primaquine, and will kill the P. vivax hepatocytes.

Four high risk areas for malaria in South Africa

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QUESTION:

List four areas in South Africa that are considered high risk for malaria.

ANSWER:

The far north east of the country is the only region considered a high transmission zone for malaria. This includes places such as the Maputoland coast in KwaZulu-Natal, Kruger National Park (and Nelspruit), most of the border region with Swaziland and the lowveld of Mpumalanga. Regions buffering this zone, such as Polokwane, are low to intermediate risk zones; the rest of South Africa is considered malaria-free.

Full recovery from malaria?

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QUESTION:

Does a person get over malaria?

ANSWER:

The majority of malaria cases are uncomplicated, and if diagnosed and treated early enough and correctly, the patient has every chance of making a full recovery from the infection. However, if treatment is delayed, or inappropriate treatment given, the infection can develop into more severe disease. Again, the chances of recovery are high given proper medical attention, but if not, malaria can certainly be fatal. Infection is usually most severe in children under 5 and pregnant women, meaning it is even more crucial for diagnosis and treatment to be made available for these high-risk groups. In many parts of the world, medical facilities are limited and treatment unavailable, which accounts for the high mortality caused by malaria, despite being easily treated in may circumstances.

Malaria Statistics for Rwanda

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QUESTION:

What are the malaria statistics in Rwanda?

ANSWER:

The following statistics are taken from the World Health Organisation (www.who.org):

  • Approximately 90% of Rwandans are at risk of malaria.
  • Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Rwanda responsible for up to 50% of all outpatient visits.
  • In 2005, Rwanda reported 991 612 malaria cases.
  • In 2006, malaria was responsible for 37% of outpatient consultations and 41% of hospital deaths, of which 42% were children under five.

Characteristics of Adult Mosquitoes

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QUESTION:

What are the characteristics of adult anophelines and culicines?

ANSWER:

I am assuming your question relates to how adult anopheline and culicine mosquitoes can be differentiated from each other. There are a number of main characters that can be used for identification to genus level, namely in the resting position of the body (and the resultant angle of the proboscis to the ground), the pattern and colour of the wing veins and the relative length of the palps (these are sensory organs located on either side of the proboscis).

Specifically, adult anophelines tend to rest with their bodies at an angle to the ground (head down, body up), whereas culicines tend to rest roughly parallel to the ground. The colouration of the wing veins of anophelines is usually arranged in “blocks” of pale and dark scales, whereas culicines tend to have all-dark scales, or a scattered mixture of pale and dark scales. Finally, if you compare the adult females (all female mosquitoes have non-plumed antennae which contrast very obviously with the males’ plumed antennae, allowing the sexes to be easily differentiated), the palps of the female anophelines are almost as long as the proboscis, whereas they are relatively much shorter in culicines. Both sets of males have palps almost as long as the proboscis, but the tips are swollen in male anophelines whereas male culicines are not, but may have some distal hairs.

Pf Malaria Mortality Statistics

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QUESTION:

What are the number of deaths in malaria pf case?

ANSWER:

“pf” stands for malaria that is caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. It is the most severe form, and responsible for the most number of deaths globally. It is estimated that around 700,000 people died last year from malaria; of these, approximately 90% would have been due to Pf malaria.

 

Plasmodium Vivax Shows Malaria Infection?

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QUESTION:

If there is Plasmodium Vivax present, then is the patient infected with malaria or not?

ANSWER:

Yes! Plasmodium vivax is one of the several different species of malaria that can infect humans and cause disease. The other main species found in humans are Plasmodium falciparum, P. ovale and P. malariae.