- What is malaria?
- A vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted via Anopheles mosquitoes.
- 2. What are the symptoms of malaria?
- Fever, chills, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, and fatigue.
- 3. How is malaria diagnosed?
- Microscopic examination of blood smears, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), or polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
- 4. What are the types of malaria parasites?
- Plasmodium falciparum, vivax, ovale, malariae, and knowlesi.
- 5. Which type is the most severe?
- Plasmodium falciparum, due to potential complications like cerebral malaria, severe anemia, and organ failure.
- 6. What is the first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria?
- Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), e.g., artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate-amodiaquine.
- 7. When is hospitalization required for malaria?
- Severe cases (e.g., cerebral malaria, severe anemia, renal failure) or if rapid progression is expected.
- 8. What is the role of doxycycline in malaria treatment?
- Used as a partner drug in ACTs or for radical cure of P. vivax/ovale (targets liver stages).
- 9. Why is mefloquine sometimes avoided?
- Risk of neuropsychiatric side effects (e.g., depression, psychosis), though it remains useful in some regions.
- 10. How is malaria prevented in endemic areas?
- Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), and antimalarial prophylaxis (e.g., atovaquone-proguanil).
- 11. What is the incubation period for malaria?
- Typically 7–30 days for P. falciparum; longer for P. vivax/ovale (due to liver hypnozoites).
- 12. Can malaria be transmitted non-vesicularly?
- Yes: blood transfusion, organ transplant, or congenital transmission.
- 13. What is the role of primaquine in malaria?
- Radical cure for P. vivax/ovale (eliminates liver hypnozoites); requires G6PD testing to avoid hemolysis.
- 14. How is drug resistance monitored?
- Through surveillance of treatment failure rates and molecular markers (e.g., Pfkelch13 for artemisinin resistance).
- 15. What is the global burden of malaria?
- ~247 million cases and ~619,000 deaths annually (WHO 2022), with sub-Saharan Africa most affected.