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Your question is extremely vague and open ended. "All about malaria" is probably enough to fill several books. What exactly is it that you want to know about malaria?
We will try to go into the main points here, and hopefully you will find the information that you need.
Malaria is an infectious disease that is caused by protozoan parasites and usually transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. When the mosquito bites an infected human, it consumes a small amount of blood containing the malarial parasites.
The next time the mosquito bites a person, the parasites are injected into his or her blood through the mosquito's saliva, and the infection begins. The symptoms of malaria include high fever and shivering that come and go, with each attack lasting for around four hours. In addition, there may be profuse sweating, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the infection gets out of hand, it can also cause severe anemia, neurological damage, liver and kidney damage, hypoglycemia, and eventually even death.
Today, in most parts of the world, malaria has either been almost eradicated or is treated promptly and effectively. However, in some parts of Asia and Africa, deaths from malaria still do occur, and the disease still has near epidemic proportions.
There are several home remedies and alternative treatments for malaria, but due to the severity of the disease, these are best used as accompaniments to mainstream medical treatment. If you suspect that you have malaria, you should visit your family doctor immediately. Your doctor will thoroughly examine you and your recent medical history, and if necessary will ask for blood tests. If the infection has progressed too much, hospitalization may be necessary. Most people have a strong aversion to hospitals, but avoiding this will only delay the inevitable and also worsen the infection.
There are several drugs that are used to fight malaria, and which ones your doctor uses will depend on several factors, including your location and your symptoms. Chloroquine is among the cheapest and most effective anti malaria drugs, but unfortunately the parasites have become resistant to it in many parts of the world. There are however several other options available, and as long as you have access to proper professional medical services, your recovery should not take too long.
If you are traveling to a place that is known to have a malaria problem, you should visit your doctor at least a month before you leave. Your doctor will start you on preventive medications that should be taken diligently as per his or her instructions.
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