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     Malaria frequently asked Questions and Answers      
               
    What is malaria?            
   
           
                   
    Malaria is a disease caused mainly by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. There are 3 other parasite species – Plasmodium malariae, vivax and ovale.
     
    Immediate treatment for P. falciparum malaria is critical. Plasmodium falciparum infection, if not treated, causes death.
                   
    How do you get malaria?            
   
           
                   
    The female Anopheles mosquito becomes infected with the malaria parasite after biting a person with malaria. When this mosquito bites you, she injects the malaria parasite into your body. The parasites attack red blood cells and invade the liver during their life-cycle causing malaria.
                   
    Where does malaria occur?            
   
           
   
  • Malaria occurs worldwide in tropical and sub tropical areas.
  • In Southern Africa, malaria is largely confined to north-eastern Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal, Northern Botswana and Zambia. Swaziland is a partial risk area.
  • Malaria transmission in South Africa is seasonal with the greatest number of cases occurring during the rainy season between October and May.
    What medication should I take to prevent malaria? How do I prevent malaria?
   
     
                   
    Your doctor, travel clinic, pharmacist or the health department can advise you as to what medicines to take to reduce the risk of getting malaria.
     
    Avoiding mosquito bites is more important than using preventative medication
   
  1. Avoid exposure to mosquitoes during the early morning and early evening hours (the hours of greatest mosquito activity)
  2. Wear appropriate clothing (long-sleeved shirts, socks and long trousers, for example) especially when you are outdoors
  3. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Repeat application as recommended.
  4. Spray mosquito repellent on clothing to prevent mosquitoes from biting through thin clothing.
  5. Use a mosquito net over your bed. Treat the net periodically with an insecticide.
  6. Cover windows and doorways with screens.
  7. Close windows and doors at night. Use a ceiling fan or air-conditioner.
  8. Spray the inside of the house with an insecticide for flying insects at dusk, especially the bedrooms, after closing the windows.
  9. Burn mosquito mats or coils in living areas and bedrooms during the night.
  10. Stay in well-constructed, well ventilated and well-maintained buildings.
                   
 

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    How do I know if I have malaria? What are the symptoms of malaria?      
   
     
                   
    The period between the bite of an infected mosquito and the onset of illness is usually 7 to 21 days, but the period may be longer if anti-malaria (prophylactic) medication was taken.
     
    It is important to remember that due to the long incubation period before the onset of malaria, a negative test result does not rule out the possibility of malaria. In a few days time repeat the test if there is any doubt.
     
    Symptoms of Malaria include
     
   
  • flu-like illness,
  • fever,
  • shivering,
  • sweating,
  • sore throat,
  • headache,
  • muscle pains
  • tiredness or fatigue,
  • nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhoea may also occur.
    Malaria may cause anaemia and jaundice (yellow colouring of the skin and eyes) due to the loss of red blood cells.
     
    In young children malaria may present with fever, tiredness (lethargy), loss of appetite and vomiting.
     
    Malaria should be considered if a person has visited a malaria area during the last 4 weeks presenting with any of the above symptoms, irrespective of the time of year, or whether or not prophylactic medication was taken.
     
    Diagnosing malaria
   
     
    Prompt diagnosis is a crucial component for the treatment of malaria.
     
    Malaria is confirmed by having a laboratory test done on your blood. This test takes time and requires expertise. Due to the urgency of making a diagnosis, rapid diagnostic screening tests are used to screen for malaria. This screening test does not require experienced personnel or equipment and the test can be done at a clinic or self by a patient in malaria endemic areas, especially in remote areas.
     
    A positive result should be confirmed with a laboratory test in conjunction with clinical medical evidence by a doctor.
     
    What is a rapid diagnostic malaria screening test and how does it work?
   
     
    The principle of the rapid diagnostic screening test relies on the capture of the Plasmodium histidine rich protein that is secreted by infected red cells. This antigen can be detected in red blood cells, serum, plasma cerebrospinal fluid and urine of patients infected by the malaria parasite.
     
    A rapid diagnostic screening test is available from your pharmacy to screen for malaria. This test allows you to take care of your health while out there enjoying yourself or working in an endemic malaria area.
     
    Can you get false rapid diagnostic (RDT) malaria screening test result?
   
     
    A negative test result does not always exclude malaria with certainty because:
   
  • There may be insufficient parasites to register a positive result. The earliest that any rapid diagnostic screening test can detect malaria is after about 7 days after being infected from a bite of a malaria parasite carrying mosquito.
  • The RDT may have been damaged, reducing its sensitivity.
  • Illness may be caused by another species of malaria parasite which the RDT is not designed to detect.
    A positive result does not always signify malaria illness because:
   
  • The antigen may sometimes be detected after the infecting parasites have died (e.g. after treatment) or due to the persistence of malaria gametocytes which do not cause illness.
  • The presence of other substances or other antigens in the blood may on rare occasions produce a false-positive result.
  • The presence of parasites does not always signify malaria illness in individuals with a high immunity as there may be other causes of fever.
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