Malaria Awareness and Prevention

Understanding Malaria

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Untreated malaria can quickly become life-threatening, so early diagnosis and treatment are critical.

Symptoms

• Fever and chills, often in cycles
• Headache, muscle and joint pain, and profound fatigue
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, or cough
• Rapid breathing or heart rate

Causes and Transmission

An infected mosquito feeds on a person and injects parasites into the bloodstream. The parasites travel to the liver to mature before entering red blood cells, where they multiply and cause symptoms.

1. Mosquito becomes infected after feeding on a person with malaria
2. Parasites mature inside the mosquito
3. Infected mosquito bites another person, transmitting the parasites
4. Parasites travel to the liver and later invade red blood cells
5. A new mosquito can pick up parasites and continue the cycle

Malaria can also spread through infected blood, including from mother to unborn child, blood transfusions, or shared needles.

Complications

• Cerebral malaria, which can trigger seizures or coma
• Breathing problems from fluid in the lungs
• Organ failure affecting the kidneys, liver, or spleen
• Severe anaemia or dangerously low blood sugar

Prevention

• Avoid mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and trousers, especially from dusk to dawn
• Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone
• Treat clothing and bed nets with permethrin and sleep under insecticide-treated nets
• Consult a healthcare provider about preventive medicines before, during, and after travel to malaria-prone areas