Introduction

Malaria is a protozoal disease caused by any one or combination of four species of plasmodia :

1- Plasmodium vivax

2- Plasmodium falciparum

3- plasmodium ovale

4- Plasmodium malaria

Plasmodium falciparum is the cause of malignant malaria, the other three species produce benign forms of illness. It differs from other forms of plasmodial species in 4 respects ;

(a) It doesn’t have exo – an erythrocytic stage.

(b) One red cell may contain more than one parasite.

(c) The parasitized red cells are sticky causing obstruction of small blood vessels by thrombi.

These are transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito

Spread

The disease is endemic in several parts of the world, especially in tropical Africa, parts of South and Central America, India, and South-East Asia, mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

According to WHO’s latest world malaria report, there were an estimated 241 malaria cases and 627000 malarial deaths worldwide. This represents about 14 million more cases in 2020 compared to 2019 and 69000 more cases. Approximately two-thirds of these additional deaths (47000) were linked to disruptions in provision of malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment during pandemic.

Symptoms

Headaches, chill, sweating, high fever, anemia, splenomegaly, fatigue, pain, Nausea, vomiting, dry cough, enlargement in Spleen and Liver.

Symptoms of falciparum are abnormal posturing, nystagmus, conjugate gaze palsy ( failure of the eye to turn together in the same direction), and coma opisthotonus.

Diagnosis

1 – Microscopic examination of blood films or by antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT)

2-Rapid antigen test (RDTs)

Treatment

Malaria is treated by antimalarial medications, the ones used depending on the severity of the disease.

Reference

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION; world malaria report 2021,

Harsh Mohan’s book for physiotherapy,

en.m.wikipedia.org ,