Symptoms, Signs And Causes: What Is Malaria?

When bitten by an infected mosquito, the parasite is allowed into the bloodstream of the host via a sort of backwash effect from the mosquito's blood sucking organ, or proboscis. The parasite then infects the red blood cells of the body, in which it reproduces. When the cell is so full of Plasmodium that it ruptures, the new generation is released, along with toxins that result in the body's external symptoms. These symptoms will occur after an incubation period that ranges from about one week to thirty days, depending upon the strain. Through a complicated process, the Plasmodium organism will take home in the liver and repeatedly infect blood cells for propagation, eventually to be taken in another form by another feeding mosquito for infection of another host.

The symptoms of malaria are generally flu-like, including fever, chills, and nausea. There are, however, four strains of malaria, and the onset period and potential severity of symptoms may vary accordingly. P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. falciparum strains take generally one to two weeksfor symptoms to appear, while P. malariae may take from one week to a full month. Some conditions, such as previous infection (resulting in partial immunity) or antimalarial medications in the bloodstream may further extend the incubation period of malaria. Some strains of malaria are also noted through experience to be more resistant to medication and natural resistance than others, and as strains are usually regionally confined, the type of treatment received may vary depending upon the geographic location in which the malaria was contracted. The fact that malaria can in some cases lead to eventual death or severe chronic illness indicates that treatment should be sought as soon as possible if malaria may be the cause of one's illness.

Medications used to treat malaria are called antimalarials, and may be prescribed or distributed on an over the counter basis, depending upon the severity of need and the region of the world. In the United States and most of Europe, malaria is very rare and antimalarials are distributed only on the basis of necessity.

Travelling through regions at especially high risk for malaria may warrant the use of antimalarial medication on its own. Avoiding mosquito bites, especially in regions of high risk, is a must, even when one is on antimalarials--medicine will not necessarily deflect all of the illness, and mosquitos are known carriers of more diseases than one. Use standard caution when at special risk for all mosquito contact to minimize the chance of infection by malaria or any mosquito-borne illness.