Vaccine for malaria? Differences with yellow fever?

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QUESTION

Is there a vaccine to prevent malaria?
What is the difference between yellow fever and malaria?

ANSWER

In answer to your first question, no, there is not currently a vaccine available to prevent malaria. The best current candidate, the RTS,S vaccine which was developed by GlaxoSmithKline, is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials in Africa. Although preliminary results showed up to a 50% rate of protection against malaria in some age groups, the trials will not conclude until 2014 and so full results will not be known until after that date.

As for your second question, while yellow fever and malaria are both transmitted by mosquitoes, they share few other similarities. Yellow fever is caused by a virus, for example, whereas malaria is caused by a single-celled parasite of the genus Plasmodium. The group of organisms that Plasmodium belongs to is often called “Protista” (the exact grouping and classification constantly changes!), and they more generally belong, based on cell type, to the Eukaryotes, an enormous group of organisms which also includes all mammals and even humans! Viruses, on the other hand, are tiny pieces of genetic material wrapped in a protein coating, and can hardly be described as alive in a conventional sense.

While both yellow fever and malaria are transmitted by mosquitoes, yellow fever is transmitted by the genus Aedes, whereas malaria is exclusively transmitted by the genus Anopheles (at least in humans, and all other mammals for that matter).While spraying inside households may reduce the prevalence of  both types of mosquitoes, Aedes mosquitoes tend to feed during the day, so sleeping under an insecticide-treated bednet is less protective against yellow fever than it is against malaria. Also, a vaccine is available for yellow fever (and has been available for over 50 years), whereas as I describe above, no such vaccine yet exists for malaria.

Finally, while superficially the symptoms of yellow fever and malaria may seem similar (fever, nausea, aches), other manifestations of the disease can be very different. Yellow fever is technically considered a hemorrhagic disease, since it can cause increased tendency to bleed in patients. Also, in some patients, the initial symptoms are followed by an acute liver phase, causing jaundice which can turn the patient yellow (and hence the name). Malaria can also affect the liver, and cause ild jaundice, but usually not to the extent of yellow fever.  Once a patient has been diagnosed with yellow fever, there is no specific treatment, and the patient is merely treated based on symptoms, to ease their discomfort. Vaccination is the mainstay of control of this disease, and has been very successful in many places; the total number of worldwide cases is estimated by the World Health Organization to be around 300,000, with 20,000 deaths, mainly in Africa.

The burden of malaria is also mainly felt in Africa, though the number of cases and deaths is vastly higher – globally, there are approximately 200 million cases of malaria in 2010, with almost 700,000 deaths. Along with the general symptoms of fever and nausea, the most dangerous manifestation of malaria is when it causes cerebral symptoms; this is usually only caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria, and can lead to impaired consciousness, coma and even death. Also in contrast to yellow fever,  the mainstay of control is a combination of prevention (mostly with vector control, i.e. using bednets, indoor residual spraying and destruction of breeding habitats and larvae) and treatment (using a variety of medications).

Symtoms of Malaria

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QUESTION

Please tell me the symptoms of malaria.

ANSWER

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Due to the way in which the malaria parasite reproduces in the human body, fevers occurring in a cyclical fashion (i.e. high fever one day, no fever the next day, then recurrence of fever on the third or fourth day, depending on the type of malaria) are a characteristic symptom of malaria, but may not be present in all cases. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. When blood supply to the brain is disrupted during malarial infection, the resulting condition, characterised by seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death, is known as “cerebral malaria”, and is associated with Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly form of malaria.

Please check your article: Symptoms and Causes of Malaria

Symptoms and Causes of Malaria

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QUESTION

What are the symptoms and causes of malaria?

ANSWER

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous blood meal taken on an infected person. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About 1 week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the person being bitten.

Because the malaria parasite is found in red blood cells of an infected person, malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared use of needles or syringes contaminated with blood. Malaria may also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant before or during delivery (“congenital” malaria).

There are five kinds of malaria known to infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. knowlesi. The symptoms of malaria differ depending on the type of malaria; P. falciparum  is the most deadly and severe form of the disease. General symptoms of malaria include  include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells.

Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs.

Malaria Symptoms

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QUESTION

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

ANSWER

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

Malaria Disorder

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QUESTION

what is the malaria disorder?

ANSWER

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito.

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

What are the Symptoms of Malaria?

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QUESTION

What are malaria symptoms?

ANSWER

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells.

Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

For most people, symptoms begin 10 days to 4 weeks after infection, although a person may feel ill as early as 7 days or as late as 1 year later. Two kinds of malaria, P. vivax and P. ovale, can occur again (relapsing malaria). In P. vivax and P. ovale infections, some parasites can remain dormant in the liver for several months up to about 4 years after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito. When these parasites come out of hibernation and begin invading red blood cells (“relapse”), the person will become sick.

Infection with malaria parasites may result in a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from absent or very mild symptoms to severe disease and even death. Malaria disease can be categorized as uncomplicated or severe (complicated) . In general, malaria is a curable disease if diagnosed and treated promptly and correctly.

What do people look like when they have malaria?

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QUESTION

What do people look like when they have malaria?

ANSWER

They look sick! When a person has malaria, they experience a flu-like illness, characterised by cycles of fevers and chills, and often accompanied by headaches and nausea. In addition, they may have jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes) due to loss of red blood cells.

Symptoms of Malaria

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QUESTION

What are the symptoms of malaria?

ANSWER

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

 

Symptoms of Malaria

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QUESTION

What are the symptoms of malaria?

ANSWER

The symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. Since the early symptoms of malaria are very similar to many other conditions, including flu and the common cold, if you live in a malaria area it is important not to ignore these symptoms but to seek medical help and have a blood test to check for malaria early on. 

Symptoms of Malaria

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QUESTION:

SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA?

ANSWER:

The symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death.