Public and Private Health Care in Canada - Research Paper Example

? Malaria [Insert and Unit] Malaria Introduction One moment a person is fine, the next they complain of fatigue, paint in the joints, lethargy, and a slight headache. In a few hours time, they have fever approaching 39 degrees Celsius, have headache, joints are weak, hot flashes and may be accompanied by vomiting and loss of appetite. This is a classical case of malaria symptoms and if not treated within a few days, someone may die. Malaria is a disease common in the tropics and is transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito. It causes many deaths especially for infants or pregnant women. This article will discuss malaria as a human disease, its epidemiology, and mode of transfer, its current prevalence, and mitigating measures and make a conclusion Literature review Cause of malaria Malaria is caused by eukaryotic protists belonging to the genus Plasmodium, phylum Amicomplexa that is transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito, which are its vectors, when they bite human beings. Once bitten, the parasites multiply within the body specifically in the red blood cells and liver and gestate for two weeks. Five types of Plasmodium cause malaria: Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium knowlesli and Plasmodium malariae . P. vivax is the most common type while P. falciparum is the most virulent and accounts for 90 percent of malaria deaths. Within the malaria causing parasites are found organelles called apicoplasts that are important for the parasites’ metabolism through production of various proteins. The parasites have a life cycle that starts upon entry into the secondary host; humans from the primary host; the female anopheles mosquito, which also are the parasites vectors (Sherman, 1998). Younger mosquitoes suck the blood of an infected human and ingest the parasites, whose gametes differentiate to form an okinete that further produces a cyst. The cyst with time will rapture to produce spores that migrate to the mosquitoes’ salivary glands where they infect a new person when the mosquito bites (Sherman, 1998). Pathogenesis of malaria There are two malaria development phases, the first phase being liver infection (exoerythrocytic phase) where they infect hepatocytes within the liver and multiply asexually, without showing symptoms for between 8 to 30 days (Sherman, 1998). In the liver, they stay dormant for some time, differentiating into numerous merozoites that move into the blood stream when their host cells erupt. The red blood cells (erythrocytes) are infected by merozoites starting the second phase of infection (Sherman, 1998). They further multiply within the erythrocytes where they infect other red blood cells while multiplying and produce periodic bursts that usually coincide with periods of high fever in the infected person. The fever is caused by the body’s reaction to the copious numbers of cell debris coming from the ruptured erythrocytes. The bursting of erythrocytes destroys them, this causes the feeling of tiredness and malaise as red blood cells that carry oxygen to muscles are destroyed (Marsh, 2002). When red blood cells burst, the parasite releases damaged host cell debris into the bloodstream together with its toxins. At this point the parasites are visible to the human immune system that respond by producing cytokines that can destroy the parasites but can equally destroy the hosts’ cells. Too much production of cytokines can kill the host while too little production will allow the parasites to kill the host. By living and reproducing within liver and red blood cells, the immune cells do not detect them, allowing their multiplication but the spleen destroys those parasites found in the circulatory system. As an adaptation, the parasites then adhere to the walls of blood capillaries and can cause total blockage in crucial areas like the blood brain barrier causing coma (cerebral malaria). The parasites adhere to blood vessels using PFEMP1 (“Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1”), which though is visible to the immune system is not easily dealt with because of their diverse nature (Sherman, 1998). Signs and symptoms of malaria Malaria is characterized by fever, joint pains, anemia, vomiting, shivering, and headaches. Other symptoms are jaundice, convulsions and retinal damage as well as hemoglobinuria. A telling malaria symptom is recurrent cycles of fever and sweating followed by coldness and shivering, occurring every two to four days depending on the species present (Sherman, 1998). This takes place when the erythrocytes burst releasing parasite toxins, merozoites and host cell debris in large numbers, to which the body’s immune system reacts to; causing fever (Marsh, 2002). The periods of fever and chills correspond to the cyclic patterns of erythrocytes bursting. Malaria can lead to problems with cognition especially in children, brain damage and anemia which can affect a child’s posture. Severe cases of malaria are due to Plasmodium falciparum that is responsible for most cases of death, especially pregnant women and children and is a major cause of stillbirths. Other malaria symptoms are back pains, nausea, muscular pain and fatigue and chills. If untreated, severe malaria can cause death within a few hours or days. It is diagnosed best through examining blood films under a microscope and urine and saliva can be diagnosed for symptoms of the parasite. Prevalence of malaria Malaria is most common in humid tropics, which provide breeding grounds for malaria, and is mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa with Plasmodium falciparum being the most common species and is the most lethal variety. Malaria causes an approximated 2.7 million deaths annually with most fatalities (90 percent) confined to Africa in the sub-Saharan regions (Malaria Foundation International, 2005). The disease also occurs in Asian countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, India Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia with the common causative agents being Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. It also occurs in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean with rare cases in Europe and North America (Malaria Foundation International, 2005). In 2010 for instance, it is estimated that there were 216 million malaria cases worldwide with 655 000 fatalities (91 percent occurred in Africa) (“CDC”, 2012) Treatment and prevention Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites using treated mosquito nets, taking of prophylactic drugs to prevent the disease from taking root, getting rid of mosquitoes and their breeding grounds by eradicating stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. Spraying stagnant waters like swamps to kill mosquito larvae .treatment is best through taking medication of doxycycline, mefloquine or combination drugs proguanil and atovaquone (Staines & Krishna, 2012). Conclusion Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium and transmitted through bites by the female anopheles mosquito. It has two pathogenesis phases: infection of the liver and red blood cell invasion. It takes between 8 – 30 days before the symptoms appear during which an infected person appears normal. Upon completion of the thirty days, symptoms begin to be felt and include fever periods with periods of chills accompanied by sweating and shivering; respectively. Other symptoms include muscular pain and aches, general weakness, joint pains, nausea and vomiting. Body temperatures may reach 39 to 40 degrees Celsius in severe cases and the disease may be accompanied by splitting headaches. Children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to malaria. In 2010, there were 260 million reported malaria cases with 655 000 fatalities, of which 91 percent were in Africa. The disease is most prevalent in Africa. It can be controlled by averting mosquito bites, using treated nets, eradicating mosquito breeding grounds and taking prophylaxis medication to prevent infection References CDC. (2012, March 27). Malaria Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/MALARIA/ Malaria Foundation International, Where does malaria occur? (2005). Retrieved from http://www.malaria.org/wheredoesitoccur.html Sherman, I. (1998). Malaria: Parasite biology, pathogenesis, and protection (pp. 25-49, 73-93) Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology Staines, H., & Krishna, S. (2012). Treatment and prevention of malaria: Antimalarial drug chemistry, action, and use (pp. 1-6, 14-19) Basel, SWITZERLAND: Springer Basel AG Read More