MALARIA FEVER-A DEBILITATING GLOBAL DISEASE

Malaria fever is a disease caused by the cytoxoic protozoon, Plasmodium spp. This parasite is transmitted by an infected female Anopheles mosquito during a blood meal. There are four types of Plasmodium spp viz; Plasmodium falciparum (causes malignant tertian malaria), Plasmodium vivax (causes benign tertian malaria), Plasmodium malariae (causes quartan tertian malaria) and Plasmodium ovale (causes ovala tertian malaria). The main factors which influence the epidermology of malaria are; the intensity of transmission and the immune response of the infected person. Blood smear or film stained with Leishmans stain ,Giemsa’s stain or Field’s stain helps to indentify the parasite.




Life cycle of Plasmodium spp is very distinct in both the infected female Anopheles mosquito and man. The tissue phase comprises the pre-erythrocytic stage which occurs in the liver. The pre-erythrocytic schizonts leave ruptured liver cells and transforms to merozoites which enters the erythrocytes immediately inorder to remain alive.




The large number of merozoites overpowers the lymphocytes (soldiers of the immune system) and attack the erythrocytes. The merozoites develop into trophozoites. The trophozoites are characterized by a ringed type of cytoplasm with a chromatin dot. These trophozoites multiply rapidly and migrate to the bone marrow, spleen, liver and brain. Schizogamy occurs and the rupturing of the affected cells results in the fever.




The gametophyte stage results from some of the merozoites that did not develop into schizonts. They begin the sexual cycle in the mosquito. They become a zygote and transforms into ookinete. Ookinete develops into oocyst and thereafter sporocyst. These sporocysts move to the proboscis as developed sporozoites. Man becomes infected when the mosquito takes a blood meal.




Symptoms include general body weakness especially the joints, increased body temperature, anaemia, splenomegaly and so on. Malaria is a serious disease in subtropical Africa that results in loss of life and decreased productivity. Pregnant women can suffer miscarriage as a result of malaria fever.




Measures taken to prevent and control malaria include; avoiding mosquito bites via the use of mosquito repellant cream, use of mosquito treated nets, preventing the breeding of mosquito larvae.




Treatment of malaria include the use of antimalarials such as chloroquine, Fansidar, Halofantrine, Metakelfin and so on. These drugs contain sulphadozine (500mg) and pyrimethimine (25mg). However, with the development of chloroquine resistance, new and more effective antimalarials are now in use. Examples include Artesunate, Coarten, Lonart and so on.




The development of a malaria vaccine would go a long way in eradicating malaria. Nevertheless, the vaccine that would be developed should be able to attack the trophozoite ,gametophyte and schizont stages of Plasmodium spp. If this medical breakthrough is achieved, the burden of this debilitating global disease would be solved.