Malaria is a disease that has been a devastating disease for humans for centuries. Because of this, armies are ruined in war, countries are ruined and the progress of countries has stopped. For example, it contributed to the downfall of the Greek and Roman empires. Due to this disease, the full benefit of the natural wealth of the lands like Africa, South America etc. could not be taken till date. Thus, it has influenced the making of world history.
Despite the progress of science, millions of people die every year due to malaria in the world. Every year 5 to 7 lakh people become victims of malaria in India alone. It spreads so quickly that most of the people of the affected region get affected by it. Patients who survive death also become very weak. The mental and physical growth of children slows down. Thus, the progress of the whole society is adversely affected.
History
Till the middle of the 19th century, people used to understand that malaria disease is caused by dirty and moist air coming out of swampy places, hence it was named Malaria (mal = dirty + aria = air). Its relation with mosquito was discovered by Lancisi (1717). After this Laveran (1880) discovered that malaria in humans is caused by infection with a parasitic protozoan called Plasmodium. He was the first to see Plasmodium in human red blood cells.
Golgi (1885) observed some stages of Plasmodium malariae in human red blood cells, after which he supported Lavron's discovery. After this, in 1897, Dr. Ronald Ross of the Indian Army observed Plasmodium oocysts in female Anopheles. He received the Nobel Prize in 1902 for this important discovery made on malaria. Grassi (1900) and his colleagues first described the life cycle of Plasmodium in the stomach of Anopheles.
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Incubation Period
The time from the entry of Plasmodium sporozoites in the body of the human host till the first attack of the disease caused by it is called the incubation period. This incubation period varies in all species of Plasmodium, such as in Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale, it is an average of 14 days, while in Plasmodium malariae it is 28 days and in Plasmodium falciparum it is 12 days.
Symptoms and stages of the disease
➤ Prodromal Symptoms: Before the onset of fever in malaria, the patient loses his appetite. After this, many symptoms appear in the patient such as constipation, dry mouth, pain in the head, muscles and joints, and nausea. These are the prodromal symptoms of this disease.
➤ Paroxysm: The first attack of malaria occurs after several initial erythrocytic cycles, but it is followed by the completion of each erythrocytic cycle. Hence it is clear that this happens due to the release of Heamozoin and other toxic substances in large quantities in the blood. The attack of the disease usually occurs after noon. In this, the patient first feels shivering due to cold, heartbeat increases, pain in the back and head starts. This is called the rigor stage of seizures.
After about an hour the shivering stops but the body temperature rises to 104-105°F. This phase is called the febrile phase of the seizure. After a few hours the body profusely sweats, which brings down the temperature and the patient feels well, except for exhaustion and some weakness. This is called the defervescent phase of the seizures.
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Types of Malaria
Malaria disease is of three types on the basis of duration of attack.
➤ Quartan Malaria: In this attack comes after every 72 hours (every fourth day). It is caused by infection with Plasmodium malariae.
➤ Quotidian Malaria: In this the attack comes every day. This occurs when infection with more than one species of Plasmodium occurs and when the disease becomes more severe.
➤ Relapse Malaria : Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae can cause recurrence of the disease even after the disease has been cured due to continuous running of the outer blood cell cycles.
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Effects of Malaria on humans
When a person gets malaria, due to repeated attacks, countless red blood cells in his blood are destroyed within a few days, due to which the patient becomes anemic. The blood of the patient becomes dilute and the body becomes weak. Often the spleen gets enlarged and jaundice also occurs. If there is no proper treatment, the patient dies. Plasmodium is nonpathogenic to the mosquito host.
Treatment or Therapy
Quinine has been a traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria for over 300 years. Which is made from the extract of the bark of the Cinchona tree in countries like Dutch East Indies, India, Peru, Lanka etc. It destroys all the stages of Plasmodium present in the patient's blood.
There are many synthetic medicines similar to quinine which are popular nowadays like - Atebrine, Basoquine, Emquine, Malocide, Melubrin, Nivaquine, Chloroquine etc. Paludrine, Mepacrine, Pentaquine, Daraprim, Primaquine and Plasmoquine also destroy the stages of Plasmodium present in the patient's liver.
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Control and Eradication of Malaria
For the complete prevention of Malaria in our country for some years, a comprehensive Malaria Eradication Program (National Malaria Eradication Program NMEP or Malaria Eradication Scheme MES) is going on. Three methods are adopted in this-
- Killing mosquitoes
- Disease prevention
- Appropriate treatment of patients
1. Destruction of Mosquitoes
This is done in three ways-
➤ Preventing water logging in cities, villages and around your house and filling pits so that water does not collect in it because mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant water and their larvae live in water.
➤ If the eggs and larvae of mosquitoes are found in such drains and ponds which cannot be eliminated, then in such a situation those reservoirs should be cleaned from time to time and sometimes oil etc. should be sprinkled on the surface of their water so that mosquito larvae cannot breathe. In addition, larvicidal fish such as minnows, trout, stickleback, gambusia, and ducks may be released into the water. Some insectivorous plants, such as Utricularia, etc., should also be released in such reservoirs.
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2. Prevention from Infection or Prophylaxis
Man can avoid getting sick by two methods-
➤ In the second method, humans, especially in areas with malaria, should regularly use prophylactic drugs like quinine, daraprim etc.
3. Treatment of Patients
All patients in a large part of the country should be treated appropriately together. When mosquitoes do not get the stages of Plasmodium from humans in this part, then the disease will end automatically.
Malaria disease can be avoided by adopting the above methods. Apart from this, nutritious food should be given to the patient so that he can get energy.
World Malaria day - World Malaria Day is an annual event observed on 25 April each year. Its purpose is to make people aware of malaria. It includes information about efforts to control and eliminate malaria. It was established in 2007 by the World Health Assembly. The theme for World Malaria Day 2023 is "Time to deliver zero malaria: Invest, innovate, implement". Under this theme WHO will focus on the third "i" "implementation"
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