Travelled recently? You could be infected with malaria!

by FSP Health team, 25 April 2013

Mosquito bites are itchy, sore and annoying - but you have more to worry about if you've recently been bitten by a mosquito. Because malaria is a tropical, infectious and mosquito-borne disease that can prove life-threatening if was incorrectly diagnosed. So if you feel a little strange after travelling to an area with a high malaria infection rate, pay attention. Here are the most common malaria symptoms to watch out for today, World Malaria Day…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) claims that malaria kills one child every 30 seconds.

That’s about 3,000 children every day, says Health.India.

The reason?

Most people aren’t sure of the common malaria symptoms.

That’s why the best way to prevent malaria infection is by following the ‘ABCD’ approach, says NetDoctor.

This means being Aware of the risk, Bite avoidance, Chemoprophylaxis or taking preventive medicines if you are travelling to or living in a malaria region, and Diagnosis made promptly with early treatment of an infected case.

To make an early diagnosis, you’ll need to know the specific symptoms to look out for.

But remember that the first symptoms of malaria differ in adults and children.

Early malaria symptoms in children

In children, the first symptoms of malaria are usually a cough accompanied by rapid shallow breathing and feverish convulsions, which can be scary.

In adults, you’ll feel weak or uncomfortable and dizzy with chills, sweats, fever, muscular or abdominal pain and vomiting or watery diarrhoea, explains Malaria.org.za.

One way to prevent confusing malaria symptoms with those of a cold if you’re flying…

The symptoms are similar to those of a cold.

So if you’re going to be flying, drink plenty of water to avoid developing a cold on a plane, says FSP Health.

That way, you’ll be sure to avoid catching a cold on the plane and more certain it’s malaria you’re facing if you experience these symptoms after flying.

Then, if you notice these symptoms and you’ve travelled to a malaria-infected area in the last 40 days, you’ll need to visit your doctor as there’s a chance you’ve been infected with malaria, says WebMD.

Tags: malaria, malaria symptoms, world malaria day, infected with malaria, mosquito

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