Demam Malaria

1. Apa Itu Demam Malaria?
Malaria adalah sejenis penyakit yang boleh membawa maut jika tidak dirawat awal. Penyakit Malaria masih lagi terdapat di beberapa buah negeri seperti di Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah dan Sarawak. Penyakit Malaria tidak akan sembuh jika dirawat menggunakan ubat tradisional. Penyakit ini hanya boleh disembuhkan jika dirawat menggunakan ubat khusus yang boleh didapati di klinik-klinik kesihatan atau hospital.
Penyakit Malaria juga dikenali sebagai Demam Kura atau Demam Ketar. Penyakit ini disebabkan oleh sejenis kuman atau parasit yang dikenali sebagai Plasmodium. Kuman atau parasit ini dibawa oleh nyamuk Tiruk / Anoephelus.


2. Mengenali Nyamuk Tiruk
Nyamuk Tiruk biasanya menggigit manusia pada waktu malam. Jika nyamuk ini menggigit pesakit Malaria, bukan sahaja darah yang dihisap tetapi juga parasit Malaria yang terdapat di dalam tubuh pesakit. Apabila nyamuk tadi menggigit orang yang sihat, parasit Malaria yang ada di dalam tubuhnya akan dipindahkan ke dalam badan orang yang sihat tersebut. Dengan demikian, orang yang sihat tadi akan mendapat penyakit Malaria.


3. Tanda-tanda Demam Malaria
• Demam
• Diikuti demam berpeluh
• Seram sejuk
• Menggeletar
• Letih lesu


4. Cara Mengesan Parasit
Penyakit malaria senang dikesan. Sekiranya mempunyai tanda-tanda Demam Malaria, segera ke klinik kesihatan. Setitik darah daripada jari akan diambil dan diletakkan di atas slaid kaca untuk diuji parasit Malaria. Sekiranya parasit ini terdapat di dalam darah, seseorang itu sudah dijangkiti Demam Malaria. Ubat Malaria akan diberikan oleh anggota kesihatan.


5. Rawatan Demam Malaria
Jika seseorang itu disahkan menghidap Malaria, dia akan diberi ubat Malaria. Amat perlu ubat ini dihabiskan mengikut arahan doktor. Jika tidak penyakit Malaria tidak akan sembuh sepenuhnya. Seseorang yang tidak menghabiskan ubat Malaria seperti diarahkan, beliau mungkin boleh dijangkiti semula kerana parasit Malaria tidak mati sepenuhnya di dalam badannya.


6. Kesan Demam Malaria
Kuman Malaria yang memasuki badan manusia akan hidup di dalam darah mereka. Kuman ini akan menyerang sel-sel darah merah dan menjangkiti otak, buah pinggang, paru-paru serta limpa pesakit. Jika tidak dirawat atau tidak mendapat rawatan sepenuhnya, pesakit Malaria akan mengalami :
• Kekurangan darah terutama di kalangan kanak-kanak dan ibu mengandung.
• Kegagalan fungsi buah pinggang.
• Jangkitan bahagian otak.
• Boleh membawa maut.


7. Pencegahan Demam Malaria
Demam Malaria boleh dicegah melalui :
• Tidur di dalam kelambu.
• Menggunakan ubat nyamuk atau racun serangga pembunuh nyamuk.
• Menggunakan jaring nyamuk di jendela rumah.
• Dapatkan perkhidmatan semburan DDT bagi membunuh nyamuk Tiruk.

Demam Malaria boleh dicegah dan dirawat. Setiap individu perlu tahu tanda-tanda dan cara-cara mencegah penyakit Malaria.

--- drmuda.gov.my

What Is Malaria?

By Myrca Malebranche 

 

Malaria is a major public health problem, causing 250 million cases of fever and approximately one million deaths annually. Therefore, understanding its history is very important.

About 10,000 years ago Malaria started having a major impact on human survival which coincide with the start of agriculture. The symptoms of malaria fever were described and attributed to the bites of certain insects.

The first evidence of malaria parasites had been found in mosquitoes preserved in amber from the Paleogene period that are approximately 30 million years old. Malaria may have been a human pathogen for the entire history of the species. The name malaria, derived from 'mal' 'aria' which means bad air in Medieval Italian. The name was given to the illness because it was once common in most of Europe and North America.

Europeans and their West African slaves brought malaria to Americans during the 16th Century. Spanish missionaries found that the fever was treated by Amerindians with powder from Peruvian Bark.

During the 19th century, malaria was treated with Quinine, Warburg's tincture, synthetic drugs. In the 20th century, efforts to control the spread of malaria suffered a major set back. In 1938, the introduction of a new mosquito vector caused the greatest epidemic of malaria ever seen in the world.
Othmar Zeider is credited for discovering the first synthesis of DDT (DichloroDiphnyTrichloroethane) in 1874. He was awarded the Nobel prize for having discovered the medicine which remains highly effective against malaria.

Since Malaria is a serious health issue, be sure to protect yourself against that it when traveling overseas by obtaining information about the preventions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Myrca_Malebranche

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever - The Critical Phase of Dengue Fever

By A. K. Nath

Dengue is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. It is transmitted by several species of mosquitoes with aedes aegypti being the primary vector. Symptoms of dengue include fever, headache and muscle and joint pains. In some cases, a characteristic measles-like rash is also observed. In a small proportion of the cases, dengue develops into dengue haemorrhagic fever which is characterized by bleeding, low platelet count and blood plasma leakage. A more severe stage is dengue shock syndrome where dangerously low blood pressure is observed.

The majority of people infected with dengue virus do not show symptoms or show mild symptoms. Severe illness is observed only in 5% of the cases. Dengue is life-threatening in a small proportion of cases. Incubation period ranges from 3 to 14 days. The course of infection is in three phases: febrile, critical and recovery. High fever is observed in the febrile phase. Pain and headache are also experienced. This phase lasts for 2-7 days. A measles-like rash is also observed in 50-80% of the cases.

In the critical phase, dengue proceeds to a severe phase as the fever resolves. During this phase, plasma leaks from the blood vessels, resulting in accumulation of fluid in the chest and abdominal cavity. There may also be depletion of fluid from the circulatory system and reduced blood supply to vital organs of the body. This condition is known as dengue haemorrhagic fever. It can be life-threatening and occurs in about 5% of all cases. People previously infected with other dengue serotypes are at increased risk of developing haemorrhagic fever. Children and young adults are also are at higher risk of developing this condition.

The recovery phase occurs next. The leaked fluids are absorbed back into the bloodstream. This generally lasts 2-3 days. In some cases, another rash followed by peeling of skin may be observed. Fatigue may last for weeks. A fluid overload state may also occur in some cases.

There are no antiviral drugs for dengue. Paracetamol is prescribed for fever. Blood transfusion may be prescribed if the haematocrit value becomes too low. Treatment is aimed at maintaining fluid balance in the body and managing the associated symptoms. People who are able to drink and pass urine can be managed at home using rehydration therapy. However, if the symptoms are severe, the patient will have to be cared for in the hospital. Patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever have to be cared for an intensive care unit.

For more information on dengue, visit http://www.dengue-info.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._K._Nath

 

Dengue Fever: Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

By A. K. Nath

Dengue fever has become a major health concern today. Every year anywhere from 50 to 390 million people are infected with the disease. The number of dengue cases has risen dramatically since the 1960s. Today, dengue is a global health concern and is endemic to more than 110 countries. There is no commercially available vaccine for dengue and prevention is the only option. Preventive measures are directed at reducing mosquito populations and limiting exposure to mosquito bites.

Dengue is caused by the dengue virus. There are five serotypes of the virus. The first four serotypes are referred to as DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. The virus is transmitted by aedes mosquitoes. The principal vector is the A. aegypti mosquito. Mosquitoes which spread dengue generally bite during the day, particularly in the morning or evening. A single bite can result in infection.

Generally, a major proportion of the people infected with the dengue virus do not present any symptoms or show mild symptoms. Severe illness is observed only in 5% of the cases. The condition can be life threatening in a small proportion of the cases. The incubation period for dengue is 3 to 14 days. Characteristic symptoms of dengue include sudden fever, headache, eye pain, muscle and body pains and a measles-like rash. Dengue fever is also known as 'breakbone fever' due to the associated muscle and joint pains.

The course of dengue is divided into three phases: febrile, critical and recovery. The febrile phase lasts for two to seven days. Symptoms observed in this phase include high fever (above 40 C) and pain and headache. Nausea and vomiting may also be experienced. In 50-80% of the cases, body rashes are observed.

In some cases, the disease progresses to the critical stage. During this period, plasma leakage occurs leading to fluid accumulation in the chest and abdominal cavities. Depletion of fluid from the circulatory system and reduced blood supply to vital organs may also result. Dengue shock syndrome and dengue hemorrhagic fever are observed in less than 5% of all dengue cases. The critical phase occurs more commonly in children and your adults.

In the recovery phase, reabsorption of leaked fluid takes place. A second rash may present in the recovery phase. Fluid overload may also occur and cause reduced levels of consciousness or seizures in some cases. The feeling of fatigue will last for weeks.

There are no antiviral drugs to treat dengue. Treatment is aimed at maintaining proper fluid balance in the body and providing relief from the symptoms. Paracetamol is prescribed to control fever and reduce discomfort. Oral or intravenous rehydration is used to maintain proper fluid balance. Blood transfusion is prescribed to stabilize hematocrit.

There are no approved vaccines for dengue. However, work is ongoing on a vaccine and medications that target the dengue virus directly. Prevention is sought by reducing mosquito populations by eliminating breeding grounds and using pesticides and limiting exposure to bites using mosquito repellents and protective clothing.

For more information on dengue, visit http://www.dengue-info.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._K._Nath

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