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Malaria Fever, Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

Isreal Olabanji DST, RN
Malaria Fever
malaria fever is a life-threatening disease. This is the commonest endemic disease in the tropics. It is caused by Plasmodium infection as a result of a mosquito bite. It is the commonest cause of fever in our environment. The female Anopheles mosquito is the vector. 
There are four species of Plasmodium namely ; 
1. Plasmodium Falciparium ;
3. Plasmodium Ovale ;
2. Plasmodium Malaria ;
4. Plasmodium Vivax.

If a female Anopheles mosquito bite and suck the blood of a person having malaria fever, the mosquito becomes infected. The male and female gametocytes in the infected blood grow and mature in the gastrointestinal tract of the mosquito. The male gamete is known as the microgamate exflagellates.

Fertilization then occurs to produce a zygote. The zygote progressively develops into 00 kinete, young ooocyte and segmenting oocyte. The oocyte rupture to release sporozoites into the salivary gland of the mosquito.

Should this mosquito bite another person, it deposits the sporozoites into the person’s bloodstream. These sporozoites move from the blood into the liver within thirty minutes. Here they undergo development and break up hemoglobin to get oxygen and are therefore pigmented. These pigmented sporozoites are called merozoites.
From the liver, these merozoites are released into the bloodstream. Most of these merozoites invade the red blood cells and some can re-infect the liver in a secondary exoerythrocytic cycle, Development of the merozoites in the red blood cell produce trophozoites.
Further multiplication of the trophozoites gives rise to schizonts. Schizonts rupture to produce more merozoites. These merozoites differentiate into immature gametes which eventually mature to male and female gametes.
  1.  Fever which may be accompanied by chills and rigor.
  2.  A headache.
  3. Joint and body pain.
  4. Sweating.
  5.  Los of appetite.
  6.  Weakness.
  7.  There may be nausea and or vomiting.
  8. Investigations
  9. Blood film.

PREVENTION OF MALARIA FEVER

  1. Good environmental sanitation by a clearing of surrounding bushes providing adequate drainage.
  2. Providing mosquito nets.
  3. Taking daraprim tablets once every week especially amongst pregnant woman and sicklers.

CURATIVE MANAGEMENT OF MALARIA FEVER

Being the commonest disease condition in our environment many drug companies have research on one form of treatment modalities or the other and have come up with as many antimalarial drugs as possible. But by far the most effective of all remain chloroquine and it has remained the mainstay of
treatment.

An antihistamine may be added for those who react to chloroquine. The list of anti-malaria drugs is given below and it is up to the clinician to use any one of his choices.

  1. Paludrine.
  2. Maloxine.
  3. Malerisch.
  4. Fansida.
  5.  Fansimef.
  6. Metakelfin.
  7. Chloroquine.
  8. Quinine.
  9. Halfan.
  10. Paluther.

Supportive drugs Include :

  1.  Intravenous fluid is indicated.
  2. Analgesics
  3. Haematinics.
  4. Multivitamins
  5. 0Anti-histamine.

COMPLICATIONS OF MALARIA  FEVER

  1. Cerebral malaria especially in children
  2. Anemia.
  3. Jaundice.
  4. Blackwater fever

Typical treatment for malaria fever:

  1. lm Analgin 5cc stat
  2. lm Chloroquine 5cc
  3. lm Vitamin Bco 3 cc, dly 3/7
  4. Tab septrin b-d ×5/7
  5. Tab Pcm tds ×3/7
  6. Tab Fergon tds × 5/7
  7. Tab Multivite tds ×5/7

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Editorial Policy: HealthSoothe is dedicated to providing evidence-based, actionable wellness content. Every piece of content or review on our platform is cross-referenced with peer-reviewed medical journals and verified by certified healthcare professionals before publication.

Written by: Isreal Olabanji, certified Dental Nurse (DST, RN), with training in pharmacy, anatomy, and physiology.

Healthsoothe provides general education only. It does not replace advice from your doctor, dentist, or pharmacist. Confirm medicines and doses with a licensed professional before taking them.

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Isreal Olabanji is a certified Dental Nurse (DST, RN) in Nigeria with a background in pharmacy, anatomy, and physiology. His hands-on clinical experience includes pharmacy and family planning services at the 32 Artillery Brigade clinic, Owena Cantonment, Akure (2012), dental surgery assistance at the State Specialist Hospital, Oke-Aro, Akure (2013) and the State Specialist Hospital, Ikare-Akoko (2014), and work as a dental assistant at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo (2016). Drawing on this experience in patient care, oral health education, public health, and dental instruments, he writes evidence-based dental and oral health content for readers in Nigeria, the United States, and beyond. Follow Isreal on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.

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