Shakayla Berthelot

Period. 3
Disease Diary
Malaria is a disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes called plasmodium parasites. Signs of
malaria that alert an infected person are chills, fevers, shivering, and sweating. All of this signs
usually occurs within the first few weeks of being bitten. Symptoms of malaria include pain in
abdomen and muscles, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fast heart rate, headache, and mental
confusion. Malaria is normally spread by animals and insects but can also be spread by blood
collisions such as uncleaned needles or screened blood. Malaria is treated by medical
professionals. Infectious disease doctors which treats infections including Rhodes that take her
place in tropical nature. Primary care providers who prevents diagnoses and treats diseases.
Emergency medical doctors who tested and prevents in the emergency department. And travel
medicals which manage health concerns for international travelers. Malaria is a rare disease in
the United States, fewer than 20 thousand cases per year. Between the year 2000 and 2015
malaria incidence among populations at risk have decreased by 37 percent globally. During the
same period malaria rates among population have fell by 60 percent.
The differential diagnosis of malaria is African trypanosomiasis. African trypanosomiasis is a
diseased caused by infection with parasite trypanosomia brucei. Both malaria and African
trypanosomiasis have a big impact on human life. Malaria caused about 1,124,000 deaths in
2002 while African trypanosomiasis caused 50,000 deaths in 2002. Neither disease has a vaccine
nor is one likely to be available for the use of large numbers of people for many years. Leary
symptoms of African trypanosomiasis include fevers, headaches, joint pains, and itching. Later
stages may include behavior changes, confusion, and poor coordination. People with African
trypanosomiasis may also experience insomnia, sleepiness, weight lose, or weakness in muscles.
Treatment involve drugs to kill the parasites. Medication are anti parasite pentamidine and
enzyme inhibitor eflornithine. Both medications require a prescription. Specialists that work with
African trypanosomiasis are infectious disease doctors, travel medicine, and primary care
providers. African trypanosomiasis is very rare in the United States. Fewer than 1,000 cases are
reported each year. Both malaria and African trypanosomiasis can become fatal if left untreated
and both diseases are extremely popular in the African continent. They are considered vector
borne diseases meaning they are infections transmitted by the bite of infect arthropod species
such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. A vector is a living organisms that transmits infectious
agents from an infected animal to a human or another animal.
Most patients with uncomplicated malaria exhibit improvement within 48 hours after the
initiation of treatment and are fever free after 96 hours. But poor falciparum infections can cause
complications such as health problems. Health problems that may result from falciparum malaria
are brain infections, destruction of blood cells, kidney failure, liver failure, and meningitis.
People who live in areas where malaria is common often develop some immunity to the disease.
Visitors will not have this immunity and should consider taking preventive medications. Even
pregnant woman should consider taking preventive drugs because the risk to the fetus from the
drug is less than the risk of catching this infections.