Malaria is a serious infectious disease. It is common in hot, developing countries. Populations that are particularly sensitive to this infection include: children under 5 years old, pregnant women and people with HIV / AIDS.
It is caused by a parasite of the Plasmodium genus, which is transmitted through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito.
Symptoms are wide-ranging, generally starting like a flu (fever, chills, headache and sweating), which may go together with nausea, vomiting, abdominal and muscle pain, cough, blood in stools, yellowish skin tinge, bleeding, signs of shock (poor blood circulations and poor oxygen supply to tissues) and coma. In children under 2 years old, blood problems are more common, with severe anemia among others.
Diagnosis is based on clinical questioning, full physical examination and confirmed presence of the parasite in blood.
Treatment is based on medication called antimalarial drugs: Chloroquine, Primaquine, Atovaquone, Quinine.
- Joel G Breman. Clinical manifestations of malaria in nonpregnant adults and children. UpToDate. May 19, 2016.
- Johanna Daily. Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in nonpregnant adults and children. UpToDate. Jun 23, 2016.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria Information and Prophylaxis, by Country [A]. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/country_table/a.html (Accessed on March 21, 2016).
- White NJ, Breman JG. Paludismo y babesiosis: enfermedades producidas por parásitos eritrocitarios. Harrison. Manual de Medicina. 16º edición. 606-618.
- M. García López Hortelano. Actualización en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la malaria ASOCIACIÓN ESPANOLA DE PEDIATRÍA. 2012
