MALARIA KILLS MOTHER AND CHILD IN NIGERIA

MALARIA KILLS MOTHER AND CHILD IN NIGERIA

Malaria causes miscarriages and stillbirths, and can be fatal to anyone whose defences are impaired because of poor health. But the huge death toll is not the only devastation wreaked by malaria. Recurrent bouts of fever drain a child's ability to learn, cause anaemia and poor growth, make people too ill to work, and earn a good living.

Malaria is an infection of the blood that is carried from person to person by mosquitoes. The disease has been recognized for thousands of years and once was found almost everywhere except in the most northern areas of the world.
Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Each year, there are approximately 350–500 million cases of malaria, killing between one and three million people, the majority of whom are young children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and 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. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.
Symptoms of malaria include
[1]Moderate to severe shaking chills
[2]High fever
[3]Profuse sweating as body temperature falls
[4]General feeling of unease and discomfort (malaise]
[5]Headache
[6]Nausea
[7]Vomiting
[8]Diarrhoea
[9] shivering
[10] arthralgia (joint pain)
[11] anemia (caused by hemolysis)
[12]hemoglobinuria [blood in urine]
[13] retinal damage [eye problems]
[14]convulsions.

The classic symptom of malaria is cyclical occurrence of sudden coldness followed by rigor and then fever and sweating lasting four to six hours, occurring every two days in P. vivax and P. ovale infections, while every three for P. malariae. P. falciparum can have recurrent fever every 36–48 hours or a less pronounced and almost continuous fever. For reasons that are poorly understood, but that may be related to high intracranial pressure, children with malaria frequently exhibit abnormal posturing, a sign indicating severe brain damage.Malaria has been found to cause cognitive impairments, especially in children. It causes widespread anemia during a period of rapid brain development and also direct brain damage. This neurologic damage results from cerebral malaria to which children are more vulnerable.Cerebral malaria is associated with retinal whitening,which may be a useful clinical sign in distinguishing it from other causes of fever.
Severe malaria is almost exclusively caused by P. falciparum infection and usually arises 6–14 days after infection.Consequences of severe malaria include coma and death if untreated—young children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable. Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), severe headache, cerebral ischemia, hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), hypoglycemia, and hemoglobinuria with renal failure may occur. Renal failure may cause blackwater fever, where hemoglobin from lysed red blood cells leaks into the urine. Severe malaria can progress extremely rapidly and cause death within hours or days. In the most severe cases of the disease fatality rates can exceed 20%, even with intensive care and treatment.

DIAGNOSIS/TESTING
Diagnosis of malaria involves identification of malaria parasite or its antigens/products in the blood of the patient. Although this seems simple, the efficacy of the diagnosis is subject to many factors. The different forms of the four malaria species; the different stages of erythrocytic schizogony; the endemicity of different species; the population movements; the inter-relation between the levels of transmission, immunity, parasitemia, and the symptoms; the problems of recurrent malaria, drug resistance, persisting viable or non-viable parasitemia, and sequestration of the parasites in the deeper tissues; and the use of chemoprophylaxis or even presumptive treatment on the basis of clinical diagnosis can all have a bearing on the identification and interpretation of malaria parasitemia on a diagnostic test.

The diagnosis of malaria is confirmed by blood tests

REMEMBER THIS:
[1] Ask for Malaria Parasite test in all cases of fever and related symptoms and also whenever there is high level of suspicion.
[2] Malaria Parasite test can be done at any time. Do not wait for typical symptoms and signs or for chills.
[3] A negative test DOES NOT rule out malaria. Repeated tests may have to be done in all doubtful cases. Duration of the illness, level of parasitemia, expertise of the technician and the method of examination may all have a bearing on the result of the Malaria Parasite test.

JOAS MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIX Ikotun Lagos Nigeria ,have a well equipped computerised laboratory. We also have qualified, very experienced and licensed medical laboratory scientists. We offer accurate Malaria Parasite Testing. We also offer other laboratory tests. If you suspect you have Malaria or other feverish conditions, contact JOAS MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIX Ikotun lagos Nigeria.

Regards
Dr. Victor Efughi
Consultant Clinical Specialist Sonographer

For FREE Consultation and FREE Counseling. Also for Quality and Accurate Medical Diagnostic Tests Contact
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