Malaria Research Paper

Malaria which can be a highly life-threatening disease is caused by the bite of a female mosquito infected with Plasmodium. Mosquitos infected with this disease can pass it on to their offspring which makes it much more prevalent. Since Malaria is transmitted through the blood, someone can contract the disease not only from being bitten but also through the transfusion of blood from a person that has this disease to a person that does not have it. Organ transplants also go along with the transfusion of blood. This is why it is very important to make sure a patient donating blood or organs does not have Malaria because it can and will be passed on to the recipient patient. Sharing needles can spread Malaria through the blood steam as well and can also put …show more content…
Much like the common cold and flu, most people do not think much of the symptoms and that can sometimes be very dangerous. If a person has been to an area where this disease is prevalent and develops these symptoms then one should get in contact with health officials, the CDC, or go to the closest hospital for more immediate attention and diagnosis. Some of the more severe symptoms include higher than normal body temperatures, enlarged spline, excessive amounts of sweating, muscle weakness, liver enlargement, and increased breathing rates. These can be more of the defining symptoms associated with Malaria. Failure of the kidneys can be a very dangerous occurrence with this disease because the blood will not be able to be filtered properly which will inevitably end in death of the person that this takes place in. Blood pressure can be lowered, inflammation of the lungs can be present, and neurological abnormalities which causes changes in behavior, seizures, comas and damage to the cerebral cortex of the brain (Global Health - Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, CDC, February 8, 2010)