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- What is malaria?
- Symptoms of malaria
- Causes of malaria
- Prevention of malaria
- Risk factors for malaria
- Complications of malaria
- When to see a doctor about malaria
- Diagnosis of malaria
- Conventional treatment of malaria
- Alternative/complementary treatment of malaria
- Living with malaria
- Caring for someone with malaria
Malaria is a very serious disease and will cause a number of fatalities, due mainly to the Plasmodium falciparum stain of parasite and more often in pregnant women and young children. Other than fatality, the main serious complications that can occur are:
Anaemia
The malaria infection with the various strains of parasites tends to cause a widespread destruction of the red blood cells, which will lead to severe anaemia. Anaemia causes lethargy and a range of other symptoms, which can only be reversed with supplementation, either with folic acid, iron or vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). In severe cases, a blood transfusion may be required. Many pregnant women with malaria are at the greatest risk for anaemia, both with themselves and with their unborn child. Young children with malaria are also likely to develop anaemia due to the malaria infection.
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Cerebral malaria
A very rare complication of malaria causes infected red blood cells to block blood vessels leading to the brain and this makes the brain tissue swell, which can lead to seizures, brain damage and coma.
Ruptured spleen
Quite often the spleen becomes enlarges and then ruptures in a number of cases of people with malaria. Most cases of rupture of the spleen occur during a very acute infection of malaria and are usually associated with infection with the Plasmodium vivax parasite. Experts believe that lack of prior immunity to malaria is the major predisposing factor that leads to the rupture of the spleen in these cases.
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