malaria does not grow in?
- EDTA blood
- heparin zed blood
- plasma***
Malaria is a disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, a single-celled parasite, which is transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles.
As indicated by the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (Seimc), in the human organism, the parasites multiply in the liver and then infect the red blood cells. “If left untreated, malaria can endanger the patient's life in a short time, because it alters the blood supply to vital organs, and generates a generalized toxic state. In many areas of the world, parasites have become resistant to several antimalarials.
This infection is one of the oldest diseases. There are data that suggest its presence in prehistoric man and is already described in Egyptian papyri and Chinese myths, where it is defined as the joint action of three demons. One with a hammer (symbol of the headache), another with a bucket of ice water (representative of the chills) and another with a burning oven (fever).
Prevalence:
In 2013 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2013 there were 198 million cases of malaria worldwide and that some 584,000 people died from this disease, most of them children under five in sub-Saharan Africa .
At present, the risk areas for contracting this disease are Africa, Central and South America, as well as in some parts of the Caribbean, in Asia, Eastern Europe and the South Pacific, as indicated by Seimc.
Causes:
It is one of the most frequent infectious diseases and one of the main health problems for the traveler. The risk of infection varies depending on the itinerary, the duration of the trip, the time of the year (rainy season or temperature), the immunity of the population, the distribution of places where mosquitoes are raised and the prevalence of different species. .
In man, transmission is caused by the bite of infected mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, which bite mainly from dusk to dawn. It is also transmitted by blood transfusions or infected syringes. Another cause, unlikely, is transmission in airports or the surrounding area. In those cases, some mosquito can sneak into an airplane from an endemic area and escape on a scale where it could bite in other countries.
Symptom:
The first symptoms that an infected person presents are not distinguished from a mild viral illness: mild and intermittent fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, vomiting and flu symptoms. In case the symptoms are not treated, the disease can evolve and cause serious complications and, sometimes, death.
The manifestations of the disease appear after seven days of the mosquito bite (usually they appear between day 10 and 15).
From Seimc they recommend that travelers who develop a fever in the three months after a possible exposure consider it as a medical emergency and go immediately to the doctor to make a recognition.
Prevention:
On an individual level, personal protection against mosquito bites is the first line of defense in the prevention of malaria. In these cases it is recommended that travelers wear long-sleeved garments, long pants and a hat to leave the least amount of skin exposed.
If you use sunscreen it is advisable to apply it first and then apply the mosquito repellent.
Depending on the risk in the area visited, international travelers should take preventive medication (chemoprophylaxis) before, during and after the trip.
It is also important to use mosquito nets treated with long-acting insecticides for sleeping because the mosquito bites more at night.
Types:
There are four types of malaria:
- By Plasmodium falciparum.
- By Plasmodium vivax.
- By Plasmodium malariae.
- By Plasmodium ovale.
The most frequent are P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria, and the most deadly is P. falciparum malaria.
In recent years there have also been some human cases of P. knowlesi, a monkey parasite that appears in forested areas of Southeast Asia.
Diagnosis:
Early diagnosis and treatment can attenuate the disease, help reduce transmission and prevent death.
The diagnosis is made during the physical exam. In it, the doctor can find a hepatomegaly or a splenomegaly. To confirm the pathology the doctor must perform an analysis called blood smear at intervals of 6 to 12 hours.
- EDTA blood
- heparin zed blood
- plasma***
Malaria is a disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, a single-celled parasite, which is transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles.
As indicated by the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (Seimc), in the human organism, the parasites multiply in the liver and then infect the red blood cells. “If left untreated, malaria can endanger the patient's life in a short time, because it alters the blood supply to vital organs, and generates a generalized toxic state. In many areas of the world, parasites have become resistant to several antimalarials.
This infection is one of the oldest diseases. There are data that suggest its presence in prehistoric man and is already described in Egyptian papyri and Chinese myths, where it is defined as the joint action of three demons. One with a hammer (symbol of the headache), another with a bucket of ice water (representative of the chills) and another with a burning oven (fever).
Prevalence:
In 2013 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2013 there were 198 million cases of malaria worldwide and that some 584,000 people died from this disease, most of them children under five in sub-Saharan Africa .
At present, the risk areas for contracting this disease are Africa, Central and South America, as well as in some parts of the Caribbean, in Asia, Eastern Europe and the South Pacific, as indicated by Seimc.
Causes:
It is one of the most frequent infectious diseases and one of the main health problems for the traveler. The risk of infection varies depending on the itinerary, the duration of the trip, the time of the year (rainy season or temperature), the immunity of the population, the distribution of places where mosquitoes are raised and the prevalence of different species. .
In man, transmission is caused by the bite of infected mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, which bite mainly from dusk to dawn. It is also transmitted by blood transfusions or infected syringes. Another cause, unlikely, is transmission in airports or the surrounding area. In those cases, some mosquito can sneak into an airplane from an endemic area and escape on a scale where it could bite in other countries.
Symptom:
The first symptoms that an infected person presents are not distinguished from a mild viral illness: mild and intermittent fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, vomiting and flu symptoms. In case the symptoms are not treated, the disease can evolve and cause serious complications and, sometimes, death.
The manifestations of the disease appear after seven days of the mosquito bite (usually they appear between day 10 and 15).
From Seimc they recommend that travelers who develop a fever in the three months after a possible exposure consider it as a medical emergency and go immediately to the doctor to make a recognition.
Prevention:
On an individual level, personal protection against mosquito bites is the first line of defense in the prevention of malaria. In these cases it is recommended that travelers wear long-sleeved garments, long pants and a hat to leave the least amount of skin exposed.
If you use sunscreen it is advisable to apply it first and then apply the mosquito repellent.
Depending on the risk in the area visited, international travelers should take preventive medication (chemoprophylaxis) before, during and after the trip.
It is also important to use mosquito nets treated with long-acting insecticides for sleeping because the mosquito bites more at night.
Types:
There are four types of malaria:
- By Plasmodium falciparum.
- By Plasmodium vivax.
- By Plasmodium malariae.
- By Plasmodium ovale.
The most frequent are P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria, and the most deadly is P. falciparum malaria.
In recent years there have also been some human cases of P. knowlesi, a monkey parasite that appears in forested areas of Southeast Asia.
Diagnosis:
Early diagnosis and treatment can attenuate the disease, help reduce transmission and prevent death.
The diagnosis is made during the physical exam. In it, the doctor can find a hepatomegaly or a splenomegaly. To confirm the pathology the doctor must perform an analysis called blood smear at intervals of 6 to 12 hours.
Treatments:
Malaria requires hospitalization, so a person who has been infected who has symptoms should see a doctor immediately.
The main treatment is with chloroquine. However, sometimes the parasite may be resistant to this drug and the patient will require other treatments:
Combinations of artemisinin derivatives, including artemether and lumefantrine.
Atovaquone proguanil.
Quinine-based treatment in combination with doxycycline or clindamycin.
Mefloquine in combination with artesunate or doxycycline.
The choice of medication depends on the place in the world where you have been infected.
Other data:
Risk groups:
The Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (Seimc) notes that some groups of travelers, such as young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of suffering from the disease if they become infected.
In pregnant women, malaria increases the risk of maternal death, spontaneous abortion, stillbirths and weight delay of the newborn, as well as death in the neonatal period.
What to do in case of symptoms during and after the trip?
Travelers who have a fever in the following three months after returning from the trip, especially if they have not performed chemoprophylaxis, should go to the primary care physician or to a health center warning of the history.
In the circumstances in which a mosquito has bite since Seimc they indicate that:
- Avoid scratching the area.
- Apply a hydrocortisone cream or calamine to soothe itching.
- Continue with prevention measures to avoid new bites.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Take paracetamol.
In these cases, the use of acetylsalicylic acid, such as aspirin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, is discouraged because they may increase the tendency to bleed.
Vaccines against malaria:
Currently, there is no authorized vaccine against malaria. However, the WHO notes that research on a vaccine against P. falciparum malaria, known as RTS, S / AS01, is very advanced.
Currently, the vaccine is being evaluated by a large clinical trial that is carried out in seven African countries and has been submitted to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicines for a regulatory review. WHO will recommend its use based on the final results obtained in clinical trials.
WHO is expected to make a recommendation as to whether the vaccine should be included in the means of malaria control by the end of 2015.
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Clinical Pathology