Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.
Malaria; also called plasmodium infection, is a life-threatening infection spread to humans by female anopheles mosquitoes. It is both preventable and curable. The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person. Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening. Mild symptoms are fever, chills and headache. Severe symptoms include fatigue, confusion, seizures, and difficulty breathing.Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.
Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and with medicines. Treatments can stop mild cases from getting worse. However, the ultimate goal should be to eradicate this troublesome evil as this has been proven possible. A lot number of countries have been certified Malaria Free by WHO. A few of this Countries are Africa countries: Algeria (2019), Egypt (2024), Morocco (2010). This implies that other countries can deploy measures to eradicate this unnecessary challenge. Malaria mostly spreads to people through the bites of some infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Blood transfusion and contaminated needles may also transmit malaria. The first symptoms may be mild, similar to many febrile illnesses, and difficulty to recognize as malaria. If Left untreated, severe P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness and death within 24 hours especially in children.
There are 5 Plasmodium parasite species that cause malaria in humans and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat. P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa. The other malaria species which can infect humans are P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. Malaria is treated with various medications mediating plasmodium eradication through various mechanisms. The Artemisinins ( Arteether, Artemether, Artesunate, dihydroartemisinin piperaquine), The quinolines (Chloroquine, amodiaquine), the atovaquone, certain antibiotics (doxycycline, Clindamycin). Currently, a number of vaccines have been developed to further curb the menace of malaria.
Ultimately, a malaria free World is a possibility with all hands. Will you be in Support? Pathophysiology of Malaria infection The lifecycle of plasmodia is complex. It occurs in two different stages. Asexual and Sexual stages. Human infection begins when a female anopheles mosquitoes innoculates plasmodial sporozoites from it’s salivary gland during a blood meal. These microscopic motile forms of parasite are carried rapidly blood stream to liver, where they invade hepatic parenchymal cells and begin a period of asexual reproduction. By this application process (known as intra-hepatic schizogony), a single sporozoites eventually may produce several daughter merozoites. The swollen infected liver cell eventually bursts discharging motile merozoites into the blood stream. These then invade erythrocytes become trophozoites. As the trophozoites enlarge, species specific characteristics become evident, pigment becomes visible and the parasite assumes irregular or amoeboid shape. By the end of 48hours of intraerythrocytic cycle, the parasite has consumed nearly all the haemoglobin and grown to occupy most of the Red Blood Cells. It is now called Schizont. The Red Blood Cycle ruptures to release merozoites after a series of asexual cycles or immediately after release from the liver. Some of the parasites develop into morphologically distinct, longer lived sexual forms (gametocytes) that transmit malaria. After being infested in the blood meal of a bitting anopheles mosquitoes, the male and female gametocytes form form a zygote, mature into an ookinete, which penetrates and encysts in the mosquito wall. The resulting Oocysts expands by asexual division until it bursts to liberate motile sporozoites which then migrate into hemolymph to the salivary gland of mosquito to await innoculation into another human at the next feeding.
Malaria is treatable by a number of medications; ( Drug classes) Aryl aminoalcohol compounds: 4-aminoquinolines: , chloroquine, amodiaquine, piperaquine 8-aminoquinolines: Primaquine, tafenoquine Other aryl aminoalcohols: Mefloquine, halofantrine, lumefantrine Antifolate compounds: Pyrimethamine, proguanil, sulfadoxine (mostly used as prophylactic agents for prevention of malaria infection) Artemisinin compounds: Artemisinin, artesunate, artemether, dihydroartemisinin, arteether (the most widely used and by far the most effective) Other classes: Atovaquone: A unique compound with a distinct mode of action Antibacterial drugs: Some antibacterial drugs like tetracycline, doxycycline, and clindamycin also exhibit antiplasmodial activity Symptoms The most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills.
Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk. Severe symptoms include: extreme tiredness and fatigue impaired consciousness multiple convulsions difficulty breathing dark or bloody urine jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin) abnormal bleeding. Prevention Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and by taking medicines. Lower the risk of getting malaria by avoiding mosquito bites: Use mosquito nets when sleeping in places where malaria is present. Use mosquito repellents (containing DEET, IR3535 or Icaridin) after dusk. Use coils and vaporizers. Wear protective clothing. Use window screens. Vector control is a vital component of malaria control and elimination strategies as it is highly effective in preventing infection and reducing disease transmission.
The 2 core interventions are insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Progress in global malaria control is threatened by emerging resistance to insecticides among Anopheles mosquitoes. However, new generation nets, which provide better protection against malaria than pyrethroid-only nets, are becoming more widely available and represent an important tool in global efforts to combat malaria. Anopheles stephensi presents an added challenge for malaria control in Africa. Originally native to parts of south Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, the invasive mosquito species has been expanding its range over the last decade, with detections reported to date in eight African countries. Preventive chemotherapies Preventive chemotherapy is the use of medicines, either alone or in combination, to prevent malaria infections and their consequences. It requires giving a full treatment course of an antimalarial medicine to vulnerable populations at designated time points during the period of greatest malarial risk, regardless of whether the recipients are infected with malaria. Preventive chemotherapy includes perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) and school-aged children (IPTsc), post-discharge malaria chemoprevention (PDMC) and mass drug administration (MDA).
These safe and cost-effective strategies are intended to complement ongoing malaria control activities, including vector control measures, prompt diagnosis of suspected malaria, and treatment of confirmed cases with antimalarial medicines. Treatment Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease, prevents deaths and contributes to reducing transmission. WHO recommends that all suspected cases of malaria be confirmed using parasite-based diagnostic testing (through either microscopy or a rapid diagnostic test). Malaria is a serious infection and always requires treatment with medicine. Multiple medicines are used to prevent and treat malaria. The choice of medication(s) is dependent on; the type of malaria whether a malaria parasite is resistant to a medicine the weight or age of the person infected with malaria whether the person is pregnant. The following are the most common medicines for malaria: Artemisinin-based combination therapy medicines are the most effective treatment for P. falciparum malaria. Chloroquine is recommended for treatment of infection with the P. vivax parasite only in places where it is still sensitive to this medicine. Primaquine should be added to the main treatment to prevent relapses of infection with the P. vivax and P. ovale parasites. For very severe cases; injectable forms of Artesunate and and arteether are highly recommended. And several others. Malaria vaccine Since October 2021, WHO has recommended broad use of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine among children living in regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission. The vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce malaria, and deadly severe malaria, among young children. In October 2023, WHO recommended a second safe and effective malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M. Vaccines are now being rolled out in routine childhood immunization programmes across Africa.
Malaria vaccines in Africa are expected to save tens of thousands of young lives every year. However, the impact will be optimum when other vector (mosquitoes) preventive approaches are in place. Message For Malaria Day Celebration The theme for World Malaria Day 2025 is; “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.” This theme highlights the urgency of actions needed to end malaria, emphasizing continued investment, innovation, and commitment from the global community. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners are promoting this theme as a grassroots campaign to re-energize efforts at all levels. Zero Malaria is achievable if we so choose. A good number of countries have been certified Malaria Free by World Health Organization. Interestingly even certain African countries made the list; Algeria (2019), Egypt (2024), Morocco (2010), but Nigeria (???). All hands should be on desk to promote zero Malaria campaign at all levels.
