Question

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA DISEASE/CONDITION

Answer 1

MALARIA

It is a febrile condition produced by infection of Plasmodium sporozoon parasite. A special type of mosquito, female anopheles transmits the disease to human beings.

Four types of malarial parasites are responsible for malarial infection among human beings.

• Plasmodium Vivax
• Plasmodium Falciparum
• Plasmodium Malariae
• Plasmodium Ovale

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA

The signs and symptomms can develop as quickly as 7 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

Main signs & symptoms include:

• Piques of very high fever
• Shaking chills
• Sweats

Paroxysms – sudden recurrences or attacks of fever, shaking chills and sweats together – occur every 24, 48 or 72 hours, depending on the parasite species.

Each paroxysm lasts approximately one to two hours and occurs in three successive stages. The first is characterized by shivering and a feeling of cold. This is followed by a pique of high fever. After the patient experiences excessive sweating to an unusual degree, the temperature goes back to normal or even below normal. Sometimes, in early infection, patients don’t experience this, but may have several piques of fever during the day.

• Headache
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Arthralgia (painful joints)
• Muscle pain

Less common signs and symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Lethargy (sleeplessness or deep unresponsiveness and inactivity)
• Nausea
• Vomitting
• Diarrhoea, especially in children
• Anemia
• Jaundice
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of appetite

Complications

• Respiratory distress
• Liver failure
• Kidney failure
• Shock
• Brain and Central nervous system problems.