The Curse Of Malaria

Malaria is the world's most wide-spread and life-threatening disease. It affects more than 50% of the world’s population with over 300 million cases per annum in 109 countries - that is nearly 5 times more than the worldwide caseload of the other major infectious diseases: HIV/AIDS, TB and Leprosy Combined.

However, the awareness and impact of malaria in the developed world is significantly less than diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Perhaps it is because malaria is only prevalent geographically in the poorest regions of the world and thus affects the poorest of the poor. It is amongst these most vulnerable communities that The MENTOR Initiative directs its humanitarian activities.

The greatest proportion of deaths and suffering in populations affected occurs amongst those living in the most remote rural areas where health infrastructure is weakest or even non-existent. As a result, those affected by man-made and natural crises are least able to tackle the disease. A vicious circle continues to spiral out of control.  In the belt affected by malaria, in regions of civil unrest, or natural crises, epidemic outbreaks of malaria are not uncommon. Transmission rates can soar as Internally Displaced People (IDP) and cross boarder refugees trans-migrate. People who live in malaria endemic regions are at risk of malaria but build a greater resistance to the parasite. Those who live in non endemic areas (whose natural immunity is low) are more prone to the disease resulting from populations from endemic regions fleeing to non endemic areas and inadvertently bringing the disease with them.  This high transmission/low immunity matrix is a good example of how complex the epidemiology of malaria is.

THE PARASITE AND THE VECTOR

The malaria parasite is called “Plasmodium”.  There are four types of human malaria: Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium falciparum. The female Anopheles mosquito is the sole vector of the malaria parasite. When an infected Anopheles mosquito bites a human, the malaria parasite enters the blood stream. P. falciparum is the most deadly type of malaria infection and it is no coincidence that this the most common type of malaria in the African sub-Saharan region, which in large part accounts for the extremely high mortality rates.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

The body’s immune response brings on headache and muscle and joint pains, but the hallmark symptoms of uncomplicated malaria are the cyclical chills and fever in sync with the parasite lifecycle as they infect blood cells multiply and then rupture the blood cell invading the bloodstream. Some may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and anorexia. The clinical course of malaria may proceed to severe malaria as the loss of oxygenated red blood cells causes anaemia, and splenomegaly as the ruptured cells pass through the spleen. Severe malaria can result in shock, pulmonary oedema, convulsions, coma and if untreated – death.