What is malaria?
Malaria is a fatal disease that is caused by an infected mosquito that feeds on human blood. By its contact with humans, when feeding, the infected mosquito can transfer the parasite into human body thus causing malaria (Center of disease control and prevention, 2014). The parasite is called Plasmodium and it multiplies rapidly in the liver and then in red blood cells of an infected person and it causes symptoms like the flu, such as a high fever, chills, and muscle pain (CDC, 2014). There are four types of human malaria: Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. falciparum. (WHO, Online Q&A, 2014). It’s predominantly found in countries like Africa, Southern Asia, Central America, and South America (WHO, 2014). “Falciparum malaria—the most deadly type—is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, where it causes nearly a million deaths a year” (WHO website, 2014).
Malaria is known to be among one of the very old diseases among humans. Malaria or a disease resembling malaria has been noted for more than 4,000 years (CDC, 2014). A brief glance into history provided by CDC (2014) tells that the symptoms of malaria were described in ancient Chinese medical writings. “In 2700 BC, several characteristic symptoms of what would later be named malaria were described in the Nei Ching, The Canon of Medicine” ( CDC, 2014).
Why target Malaria?
According to CDC, in 2010 an estimated 219 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 660,000 people died, most (91%) in the African Region (Center for disease control and prevention, 2011). Approximately 1,500–2,000 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year and the vast majority of cases among them are in travelers and immigrants returning from countries where m...
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...vent malaria instead of otherwise non-available vaccine. Therefore there is a need for commitment to combat and eradicate malaria.
REFERENCE:
Center of disease control and prevention website http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/faqs.html
Lifesaver Blog http://www.lifesaversystems.com/_blog/LIFESAVER_Blog/post/world-malaria-day/
Louis, Maryse (April, 2012) . “Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, but for how long?” retrieved from: http://blogs.worldbank.org/health/psd/malaria-is-a-preventable-and-treatable-disease-but-for-how-long
Malaria no more website http://www.malarianomore.org/pages/what-is-malaria
Malaria Consortium website: http://www.malariaconsortium.org/pages/112.htm
Malariavaccine.org frequently asked questions website: http://www.malariavaccine.org/malvac-vaccine-faqs.php
World health organization website http://www.who.int/topics/malaria/en/
With no treatment half of patients who enter the second phase die within ten to fourteen days. Similar to yellow fever, malaria was transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, causing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and vomiting. Difficult to recognize at first malaria continues to cause yellowing of the skin, seizures, and even death; these symptoms normally begin after ten to fifteen days after being contracted. Malaria was brought over to early America through slavery and killed millions of people between the seventeenth and twentieth century. Throughout the growth and expansion of America there was been several disease outbreaks both endemic and epidemic such as small pox, measles, yellow fever, and malaria. Starting with the Colombian exchange and slavery these diseases were brought to the new world and spread like wildfires that devastated populations both native and nonnative. Most commonly known for the death toll on the native Americans these diseases were so costly due to low resistance, poor sanitation, and inadequate
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue and organs. This inflammation can damage many different bodily systems. Lupus commonly affects the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, brain and heart. Many people with lupus have found relief for some of their chronic pain through practicing a few different styles of yoga.
When someone has lupus they have a different outlook on life. For patients with this disease, even the easiest task can be painful to the body or joints. Lupus is not contagious. “Lupus is a disease of the immune system. The immune system protects the body from inflection”(http://lupus.webmd.com). With lupus, the immune system attacks the tissue in many parts of the body. Lupus affects women more than men(www.womenshealth.gov). There are many different types of lupus, and each symptom affect different parts of the body. With treatment you can obtain and fulfill a healthy lifestyle.
Tuberculosis or TB is an airborn infection caused by inhaled droplets that contain mycobacterium tuberculosis. When infected, the body will initiate a cell-mediated hypersensitivity response which leads to formation of lesion or cavity and positive reaction to tuberculin skin test (Kaufman, 2011). People who have been infected with mycobacteria will have a positive skin test, but only ones who have active TB will show signs and symtoms. Basic signs and symptoms include low grade fever, cough with hemoptysis, and tachypnea. They may also show pleuristic chest pain, dyspnea, progressive weight loss, fatigue and malaise (Porth, 2011).
The story of drug-resistant malaria in Cambodia is significant because people in other countries could be affected and must be aware of the fact that it is becoming immune to the most powerful drugs used to fight it. So many people have died from this deadly disease and so many are dying from it already, so many more are at risk and they must be aware.
Plasmodium Falciparum is the causative parasite of malignant malaria, it is the most deadly strain of the malaria viruses. P. Falciparum is a eukaryotic protozoan parasite that is spread through vector transmission using mosquitoes. The Anopheles mosquito family accounts for the majority of transmission because of their tendency to target humans (WHO, 2014). Malaria accounts for approximately five hundred thousand deaths each year in environments such as sub-Saharan Africa and other temperate areas where the life cycle of the mosquito is longer allowing the parasite to develop properly (WHO, 2014). Malaria usually infects children in these areas but also commonly spreads to travellers to these areas.
Haiti as a rich history, filled with many peoples’ blood and countless hopes of freedom. With such a rich history, the country has yet to become financially stable because of their past. From the beginning of the French settlement where slaves were brought over from Africa to harvest crops, to the dictatorship of the Duvalier family. Haiti has yet to see a time when they are not in need of help. After the racial caste systems were set in place, many people would not see a truly independent country. When France finally gave independence to Haiti, they did it for a price. After they paid that price, the US occupied them because of their location and many resources. Every year in Haiti’s history as a nation and before has effects on the world today. These effects are not hidden in fine print, but blatantly found within Haiti and those who have been involved with Haiti.
Lyme disease is one of the seven most common diseases reported in the United States to the CDC annually (www.cdc.gov). The rates have gone from 10,000 cases in 1992 to over 30,000 cases in 2009. 95% of these cases were found in the northeast and Midwest regions of the United States (Committee on Lyme Disease, 2011) . More cases happen in this area of the country due to the close proximity of deer to population. The bite itself isn’t the problem, rather the pathogen being spread in mammals from the bite. Lyme disease occurs when a tick penetrates the skin of mammals and the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi enters. Borrelia burgdorferi is carried by ticks named the Ixodes dammini, which is the main vector for Lyme disease. These may also be known as I. scapularis, and may be found on deer (Schilling-McCann, 2010). ¬¬¬In addition to Lyme Disease, ticks may also carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Tularemia (Smeltzer et al, 2010).
Malaria is a common infectious disease found mainly in the tropics but in rare circumstances can be found in temperate areas. Depending on the circumstances malaria can be either life threatening cause serious illness.
For several years, I have had an interest in virology and the spread and characteristics of various infectious diseases. Though it makes sense not to possibly induce a state of panic by informing individuals of illnesses that are not native to the area they live in and that they are not likely to contract, I have always liked to remain informed out of my own curiosity and interest. Thus, I have decided to write about malaria.
Malaria is a disease that is caused by parasites. It is transferred from one person to another by the infected female Anopheles mosquito. Malaria has been a serious health problem nowadays. WHO has provided the information that approximately 660,000 people died from malaria globally during 2010. Also, after estimating, there are 219 million cases of malaria infection in 2010 worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, being one the country that has the high rate of HIV, AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, had 90% of the people that...
Malaria (also called biduoterian fever, blackwater fever, falciparum malaria, plasmodium, Quartan malaria, and tertian malaria) is one of the most infectious and most common diseases in the world. This serious, sometimes-fatal disease is caused by a parasite that is carried by a certain species of mosquito called the Anopheles. It claims more lives every year than any other transmissible disease except tuberculosis. Every year, five hundred million adults and children (around nine percent of the world’s population) contract the disease and of these, one hundred million people die. Children are more susceptible to the disease than adults, and in Africa, where ninety percent of the world’s cases occur and where eighty percent of the cases are treated at home, one in twenty children die of the disease before they reach the age of five. Pregnant women are also more vulnerable to disease and in certain parts of Africa, they are four times as likely to contract the disease and only half as likely to survive it.
Why is it not possible nowadays to diagnose malaria with a set of signs and symptoms?The patient has been coughing for the last two weeks, lost 5 kilograms in weight, and whenever he coughs, very thick sputum in produced. Furthermore, the patient has been having chest pains, fever, sweating especially at night and loss of appetite (Harries, Maher, & Graham, 2004, p. 50). The sputum that is produced on coughing is not thick and is yellow in color (Warrell, Cox, & Firth, 2005, p. 560).
...at researchers are doing to try to eradicate malaria in underdeveloped countries such as Africa.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitting infection caused by Treonema pallidum, a gram negative, and anaerobic spirochete bacteria 1. Syphilis is thought to have been brought to Europe by Columbus and his sailors in the 1500’s 1. The disease is characterized by four different stages with varying symptoms depending on the stage that the disease is in1. Often syphilis is presented with another sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia. Public education regarding safe sex is important for the prevention of this sexually transmitted infection.