Analysis of Malaria Disease - Essay Example

Malaria Name; Institution; 10th December, 2012 Malaria began as an epidemic but later became a pandemic and is mainly experienced in the tropical areas of South East Asia, South America and Africa. Malaria is passed from one human to another through the bite of an infected Anopheles Mosquito. It is after infection that the parasites called sporozoites that cause malaria travel through one’s blood stream to the liver. In the liver is where they mature and release others form of the parasites called merozoites. The malaria parasites infect the red blood cells. The first symptoms of a malaria infection show within 10 days to 4weeks. This period is referred to as the incubation period. The symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and anemia among others. Malaria can also be transferred from mother to child congenitally or through blood transfusion. Life cycle of plasmodium and transmission of Malaria Parasite The plasmodium generally has two hosts, with man serving as the primary host while the mosquito is the secondary host. The life cycle is completed in four phases; Pre and Exo-erythrocytic cycles, Erithrocytic cycle, Post-erythrocytic cycle and finally Gamogony or sexual reproduction. The first three phases of the plasmodium’s life cycle are completed within the human body, while the last stage occurs in the body of the mosquito, in this case the female anopheles mosquito (Sri and Shri, p. 86). The transmission is mainly through the vector mosquitoes, the Anopheles gambiae complex of species. This is due to their behavior of human biting (Anthropophily). The malaria parasite is transmitted to the female anopheles mosquito when it feeds on blood from an infected person. The parasite then develops within the mosquito body before it gets infectious and is transmitted to other individuals in the course of subsequent blood meals. The transmission of the parasite becomes less likely when temperatures drop below 18̊ C. in addition to that malaria parasites cease any form of development at temperatures below 16̊ C. Transmission of malaria in temperate regions is reduced due to the fact that low temperatures, the mosquitoes tend to reduce the biting activities. The geographical distribution of malaria depends on both climatic features such as rainfall and humidity, plus the seasonal temperature variations (Petra 2011, p. 18). Plasmodium species infecting humans and disease symptoms Malaria as a protozoan disease is caused by four species of the plasmodium protozoa namely; Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae. Only infected humans act as reservoir for the plasmodium protozoa. However these infect only human beings, there has been a discovery of less common plasmodium specie attributed to the monkeys, namely Plasmodium knowlesi (Engleberg 2012, p. 506). The symptoms of the disease malaria are seen after the incubation period by the parasites which last about 30days. These symptoms include chills, fever, cough, fatigue, headache, and myalgia. During the symptoms there are phases of well-being and those of acute attacks. Generally there are three stages for the symptoms. First is the cold stage, lasting for about one to two hours, and is evident by chills and at times extreme shaking. Then there is the hot stage when one experiences severe fever of up to 47 ̊ C. The hot stage lasts 3-4hours. Finally there is the wet stage which is marked by profuse sweating, and lasts 2-4hours (Williams and Wilkins 2009, p. 1020). Global distribution of malaria and the effect of possible global temperature increase on the distribution of malaria DIAGRAM SHOWING HIGH POTENTIAL MALARIA TRANSMISSION AREAS IN THE GLOBE The diagram above shows how the climate impacts upon the distribution of malaria. The data is taken from the country’s lowest administrative levels possible. The areas highlighted in blue shows the regions where there is easy transmission of the disease. It is evident from the diagram above that Northern Africa is not affected by malaria since the regions limits the survival of the parasites due to high temperatures and the absence of rain (Watson, Zinyowera and Moss 1997, p. 78). It is also visible as per the above map that the distribution of the malaria disease is quite minimal on the northern hemisphere. This is due to the low temperatures which inhibits the life cycle of the plasmodium disease, and also reduces mosquito biting activities. Research has shown that there would be shifts in the distribution of malaria due to the global climatic change. It is evident that an increase in the global temperatures by approximately 1.1 ̊C would increase the world’s potential malaria transmission zones from 45 to 60 percent. The impact of the climatic changes on the distribution of malaria would be highest in those regions where the disease’s transmission was limited physiologically by low temperatures. Increased temperatures would. Due to the rise in temperature would increase the regions mainly in southern hemisphere where distribution was previously constrained by latitude (Mouchet, Carnevale and Manguin 2008, p. 59). In the coming future the effect of global warming will induce circumstances favorable for the transmission of malaria in wider regions of the world. Though malaria currently affects only the developing countries, mostly of the tropics and subtropics, increased travels have caused malaria to be a problem to those who live outside the transmission areas (Scholar and Pratt 200, p. 375). In the areas that are outside the transmission zones, the disease is mostly introduced by the travelers and immigrants, or incidences such as an introduction of a malaria infected mosquito transported through the planes or the ships. Table showing the prevalence of malaria (%), age groups and altitudes AGE Low altitude prevalence % Middle altitude prevalence % High altitude prevalence % ,=25 0.6 0.4 0.3 The table above shows the percentage prevalence of malaria on the different age groups that exist within the societies. The data is collected taking into consideration the altitudes of residence of the subjects of the test. It shows that on low altitude, it is highest between ages 10-14 years. On middle level altitudes, it is highest in age 1-4 years, while on the high altitudes, it is highest between ages 10-24years. In middle level altitudes, that are the tropical and subtropical climates, children are most affected by the malaria disease. The data can be plotted in a graph. Vector distribution Australia Malaria is mainly distributed on the margins of streams and rivers, where there is some vegetation. It is also highly distributed in springs, seepage areas, ponds and lagoons. The inhabitant areas are mostly characterized by emergent or surface vegetation. In Australia, the malaria vector is mainly distributed in the following areas; New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, New Guinea, Moluccas, Bismarck Archipelago and Indonesia (Becker 2010, p. 357). Average life expectancy in Australia is relatively high and there is good access to medical health care facilities. The indigenous inhabitants of Australia and the poor are the ones who are highly affected. Research has shown that an increase of temperature by 2 ̊ C will increase the very hot days of over 40 ̊ C by about 50%, hence resulting in higher rates of vector transmission, and possibly increased number of deaths among the residents (Watson, Zinyorewa and Moss 1997, p. 136). Prevention of malaria Nearly half the world’s population lives at the risk of malaria, hence posing a threat of large percentage deaths due to the disease. Political, technical and financial supports have been facilitated in order to scale-up malaria control interventions. One of the efforts applied to reduce the morbidity and mortality include the control of the mosquito vector using insecticide treated bed nets and in case of any infection, a prompt treatment with effective antimalarials (Staines 2012, p. 1). In most malaria torn regions, pregnant women are the main adult age group that are at the highest risks of contacting malaria. The picture of malaria infection during pregnancy ranges from asymptomatic to severe. In order to reduce mortality among the pregnant, early detection and prompt treatment of malaria with antimalarial drugs is required. Not only that but also insecticide treated nets can also be used by pregnant mothers and individuals in order to create a physical and chemical barrier against the mosquito (Heyen 2011, 310). The prevention of malaria is mainly through the ABCD formulae. The letters stand for; A- awareness of risk, B- bites avoidance, C- compliance with chemoprophylaxis, D- prompt diagnosis. The diagnosis should immediately begin with the onset of the symptoms of malaria. Among travelers, in the cause of malaria prevention, one should take chloroquine in case of a travel to areas where chloroquine resistance has not yet been reported. If one is traveling to areas where there is the latter’s resistance, one should use either melfoquine, doxycycline or atovaquone-proguanil. One should also employ the measures to reduce mosquito bites besides taking the medications (Sweet and Gibbs 2009, p. 377). Generally, the prevention measures for malaria are destroy the breeding sites of the vector, avoid mosquito bites, kill mosquito larvae and most important is to reduce the life span of the blood-feeding adult mosquitoes. Prevention of such mosquito bites can be through; wearing protective clothing, application of insect repellants, using impregnated mosquito nettings and the screening of the houses where we stay. The breeding sites can be eliminated by one draining still waters, changing the salinity of water, flashing, altering water levels and clearing the vegetation around the family residential areas. Spraying of insecticides is an effective way of killing the adult mosquitoes. On the other hand, to eradicate the mosquito larvae one can use larvicides. In conclusion, the problem of malaria is not the fact that it constantly becomes a pandemic in larger regions of the world with the changing climates, but rather that it gets drug resistance with time. The effects of global warming increase the mean temperatures of many geographical regions within the globe; hence there is increased chances of transmission, and introduction of the malaria disease in those areas that were initially out of the transmission zones. The best way of keeping safe from the adverse effects of malaria that generally increases mortality within the world’s population, with millions of deaths every year, is to create awareness of the pandemic and employ the various prevention techniques. References; Sri, H. & Shri, H. ‘Comprehensive Mcqs in Biology’, Atlanta; Golden bells, p. 86. Print Petra, H. 2011, ‘The Fight against Malaria in Malaria-Endemic Countries’, Santa Cruz; GRIN Verlag, p. 17. Engleberg, N. C. 2012, ‘Schaechter's Mechanisms of Microbial Disease’, U.S.A; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 506. 5th Edition Williams, L. &Wilkins 2009, ‘Professional guide to Diseases’, U.S.A; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 1020. 9th Edition Watson R. T, Zinyowera, C. M & Moss, R. H. 1997, ‘The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability’, Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, p. 78. Print Mouchet, J., Carnevale, P. & Manguin, S. 2008, ‘Biodiversity of Malaria in the World: English version completely updated’ Montrouge; John Libbey Eurotext, p. 59. Illustrated Becker, N. 2010, ‘Mosquitoes and Their Control’, New York; Springer, p. 357. 2nd Edition Staines, M. H 2012, ‘Treatment and Prevention of Malaria: Antimalarial Drug Chemistry, Action and Use’, New York, Springer; p. 1-3. Print Scholar, M. E & Pratt, B. W 2000, ‘The Antimicrobial Drugs’, Oxford; Oxford University Press, p. 375. 2nd Edition Watson T. R, Zinyorewa C. M & Moss, H. R 1997, ‘The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability’, Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, p. 136. Print Heyen, P. 2011, ‘The Fight Against Malaria in Malaria-Endemic Countries’, Munich; RIN Verlag, p. 29-31. Print Sweet, L. R & Gibbs, S. R 2009, ‘Infectious Diseases of the Female Genital Tract’, New York; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 377. 5th Edition Read More