What is malaria? Who realizes it? ...

What is malaria? Who realizes it?

Malaria is a serious disease that is spread from the bite of an infected mosquito. Malaria befalls in the warmer regions of the world. Large areas of Central and southward America, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East are risk areas for malaria.

Anyone, at any age, can learn malaria. Each year, about 1500 someones get malaria by traveling from the United States to a malaria-risk area. chiefly cases of malaria could be obstructed by taking medicine and avoiding mosquitoes.

to what degree is malaria transmitted?

If you are bitten at an infected mosquito, you can come by the malaria parasite. The parasite goe from the mosquito's opening into your blood. In your progeny the parasite infects your liver and r house cells. Then it changes into a form that can infect other mosquitoes if they bite you. This continues the circle of infection.

Who is at risk for malaria?

If you live in or travel to any area where malaria is transmitted, you can become infected. You risk getting the infection flat if you spend less than an hour in a malaria area.

to what extent can I tell if I have malaria?

The main symptoms of malaria are excitement chills and sweats, headaches, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, and stomach pain. Symptoms usually begin 10 days to four weeks after infection. However, malaria symptoms might start as early as eight days or as late as single in kind year after you were in a malaria area.

Can I do anything to restrain from getting malaria?

You should diocese your doctor four to six weeks before traveling to a foreign political division Your doctor can tell you if you ne to take a medicine to preclude malaria infection.

While you are traveling, you should experience to avoid mosquito bites at taking these steps:

* Limit your nighttime activities (this is when mosquitoes commonly bite). Wear long-sleev shirts and drawn out pants if you go outside at night.

* Use insect repelling with DEET on your hands and face and any expos skin. You may have to bring forward it on every three to four hours.

* be dead in a building that has air-conditioning or shields over the doors and windows. If there are no cloaks shut the windows and doors at sunset

* nap under a mosquito bed pure soaked with permethrin (an insect repellent)

* Take your medicine exactly onward schedule and don't miss any doses. detain taking the medicine as protracted as your doctor tells you to.

What should I do if I think I have malaria?

If you earn a fever or a flu-like illness while traveling or within common year after coming back dwelling see your doctor right away. reckon your doctor that you have been to a malaria-risk area. Your doctor can use a simple life-current test to see if you have malaria.

Where can I master more information about malaria?

Center for Disease hinder and Prevention

Voice Information Service

Telephone: 888-232-3228

Malaria hotline,

Telephone: 770-488-7788

Web address: www.cdc.gov/travel

World Health Organization

Web address: www.who.int/ith

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group