It only takes one bite of an anopheles mosquito to give you malaria. The easy spread of malaria makes this disease one of the most dangerous diseases. Every year, approximately one million people die from malaria.
Malaria is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. This mosquito carries the plasmodium parasite in its body. If you are bitten by this mosquito, the parasite will flow in the bloodstream and reach the liver. These parasites will multiply in your body, circulate in the bloodstream, and attack red blood cells.
Types and Management of Malaria
Based on the parasite, malaria is divided into four types. Each type of malaria has a different way of handling it. The first type is vivax malaria or tertian malaria which is caused by the plasmodium vivax parasite. This type often occurs in tropical and subtropical regions, including Indonesia. The initial symptom of this type of malaria is chills or fever that comes and goes. Furthermore, the patient will experience a fever every 48 hours. Treatment for this type is done by giving a combination of chloroquine and primaquine drugs.
The second type is Kurtana malaria or malariae which is caused by Plasmodium malariae . Symptoms that occur are cold sweats, fever, headaches, and fainting. To handle it, doctors can give chloroquine in certain doses for three days to kill Plasmodium malaria .
The third type is malaria ovale. As the name suggests, this strain is caused by the plasmodium ovale parasite. The symptoms that arise are similar to those experienced by patients with tertian and quartana malaria, but milder. This type is considered the mildest type of malaria that can even be cured without treatment. However, if needed, the doctor can give a combination of chloroquine and primaquine.
The latter is tropical malaria or falciparum malaria. This most virulent type of malaria is caused by the plasmodium falciparum parasite. Symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, headache, anemia and fever that fluctuates. Treatment of this type of malaria is carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the doctor will give a combination of drugs to kill Plasmodium falciparum . If it is not effective, the doctor will carry out the second stage of treatment, namely by giving a combination of quinine, doxycycline or tetracycline, and primaquine for seven days. However, these medicines should not be given to children or pregnant women with malaria, so special treatment is needed for children and pregnant women who have contracted malaria.
How to Prevent Malaria Disease
Even though it is dangerous and often occurs in tropical countries like Indonesia, preventing malaria is not impossible. There are some things you can do to protect you and your family from malaria:
- Most malaria mosquitoes appear in the morning before sunrise and in the evening. Wear protective clothing and mosquito repellant during these hours.
- Routinely spraying the room with mosquito repellent.
- Doing 3M, namely draining the bathtub, closing standing water, sowing abate powder to eradicate mosquito larvae.
- Apply for fogging for your neighborhood, at least once a month.
- If you are going to travel to a place that is prone to malaria, such as Eastern Indonesia, you can visit a doctor to get antibiotics that can be taken before leaving as a preventive measure.
Those are the things you need to know about malaria. For more information, diagnosis and first treatment if you or someone close to you has symptoms of malaria, you can visit the EMC hospital to get the most appropriate action for your condition. Don't forget to keep your body and environment healthy so that you and your family can avoid malaria. #LiveExcellently