subject: Oxygen Therapy and Malaria [print this page] Malaria is a parasitic infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. The parasite grows in your liver for a few days and then enters your bloodstream where it invades your red blood cells, forcing them to replicate itself.
The disease causes fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Most people believe that Malaria is contagious but it is not. It appears to be because most people who contract it are in the same family or same area and have just been bitten by the same mosquito.
It is only spread by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. She draws a small quantity of blood containing the parasites when she bites a person who has malaria. These parasites then pass through several stages of development within the mosquito's body, and
finally find their way to its salivary glands. There they lie in wait for an opportunity to enter the bloodstream of the next person the mosquito bites.
There are four main types of malaria. They are classified by the name of the parasite with which the mosquito is infected, also known as the plasmodium.
These are:
The Plasmodium Ovale
The Plasmodium Malariae
The Plasmodium Vivax
The P. Falciparum, the meanest guy of the bunch
These four types of Malaria parasites cause the six different types of malaria. Their names are derived somewhat from the type and duration of the fever that the person suffers.
They are:
1. Ovale Malaria - A very mild form
2. Quartan Malaria - Causes fevers and chills every 72 hours
3. Quotidian Malaria - The same as Vivax except the chills and fevers occur every day.
4. Tertian Malaria - Sama as Vivax exept chills and fever occur every 3rd day
5. Vivax Malaria - Chills and fever every other day
6. P. Falciparum - The most serious form of malarial infection. Signalled by constant chills and fever, jaundice, diahrhea, vomiting, and anemia. Deadly if not treated.
The most common symptom of all types of malaria is a high fever, which may occur every day, on alternate days, or every fourth day. The fever is accompanied by chills, headache, shivering, and pain in the limbs.
Your temperature may decrease after a few days of profuse sweating, but unlike some other infections, your body can neither burn the parasite out nor sweat it out.
The Tertian variety of Malaria is termed because generally you will have a fever on the first day, no fever on the second day and a return of the fever on the third day. Ovale Malaria is in this group and is an extremely mild form of Tertian Malaria. It is caused by the Plasmodium Ovale. It can be recognized by recurring acute bouts of fever but generally ends in spontaneous recovery.
Quartan Fever is so called because it occurs and reoccurs every 72 hours. This is because this specific plasmodium (malariae) produces new parasites in your blood every 72 hours. And even though you are still infected, you won't suffer the fever quite as much.
P. Falciparum Malaria is the most serious form of the infection. It is caused by the Plasmodium Falciparum which causes severe fever, chills, headaches and a cough. This infection in the later stages is usually accompanied by jaundice because malaria destroys liver cells. It also affect the central nervous system and seizures, fainting and coma are some of the serious neurological symptoms. Severe anemia will develop because of the destruction of the red blood cells and your blood will not coagulate properly.
Without immediate medical treatment, P. falciparum malaria can cause life-threatening complications. Of those receiving treatment, about 15 to 20 percent will die anyway. For 99% of people who do not receive proper treatment, the infection is fatal.
For more information please see The Oxygen Therapy Program at http://www.oxygentherapyprogram.com
