MALARIA. AGENT: The agents in humans are four species of protozoan Plasmodium - P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. Of these, P. falciparum is the most infectious and is the most lethal. VECTOR: Anopheles Mosquito. DESCRIPTION Malaria is by far the most important tropical parasitic disease worldwide, and contagious disease that causes more deaths than tuberculosis. In many developed countries, and Africa especially, malaria claimed many lives, medical costs and loss of workdays.Symptoms induced attacks of fever and anemia in the infected person accompanied by chills, joint pain and headaches. In cerebral malaria, infected red cells obstruct blood vessels of the brain. It can damage vital organs and often leads to death.

TRANSMISSION The parasites are transmitted from person to person by female anopheles mosquito. The males do not transmit the disease because they only feed on plant juices. The parasites develop in the mosquito's gut and communicates through saliva of an infected mosquito each time you perform a new blood food. Then, the parasites are carried by blood to the victim's liver, where they invade cells and multiply.The spread of the disease is linked with road building, mining, sawmill and new projects of agriculture and irrigation, especially in newly developed areas like the Amazon. In other parts where there is disintegration of health services, armed conflicts and mass refugee movements worsen the malaria situation.

Normally TREATMENTcan be cured with antimalarial drugs. Symptoms such as fever, chills, joint pain and headache, quickly disappear once the parasite is eliminated. However, in certain areas the parasites have developed resistance to certain antimalarial drugs, particularly chloroquine. Patients in these areas require treatment with other more expensive drugs. In cases of severe malaria, including cerebral malaria, it is necessary Hospitals. placement in endemic regions where transmission is high, people are constantly infected and therefore gradually develop immunity to the disease. Until they acquire such immunity, children remain vulnerable.

Prevention is essential detailed knowledge of the local vector insect ecology and behavior of people in endemic areas to determine effective methods of disease control. The problem of malaria control in tropical countries is aggravated by inadequate health infrastructure and poor socioeconomic conditions. The situation has become more complex over the past five years due to increased resistance to drugs normally used to combat the parasite that causes the disease.