Malaria: Prevention and Complications

Prevention Tips

• Keep the surroundings clean at all times. Mosquitoes breed in areas and containers with still or stagnant water.
  
• Use mosquito repellents.
• Insecticide-treated mosquito nets
• Use flying-insect spray indoors around sleeping areas.
• As much as possible, outdoor activities should be limited between dusk and dawn.
• Stay in rooms with screens on the windows, fans and/or air conditioning.
• Switch off all lights while you are sleeping since mosquitoes are attracted to light.
• Avoid wearing strong after-shave or perfume, the smell will attract mosquitoes.
• Wear long pants and long-sleeved clothing especially around dawn and dusk when the   anopheles mosquitoes are most active.
• Use insect repellent with DEET (N,N diethylmetatoluamide)

 

Others

Malaria can increase the risk for serious pregnancy problems as pregnant women are more susceptible and hence this may lead to prematurity, miscarriage, and stillbirth. Malarial infection during pregnancy will be even more severe and hence proper care should be taken. Discuss them with your health-care provider.

Watch Out

A person having malaria always has fever. Usually the person gets sudden high fever and chills. The fever may come every day or every other day. Usually there will be headache and body ache also. There may be vomiting.

When to See Doctor

• Yellow discoloration of the skin
• Low blood sugar
• Severe anemia(decrease in number of red blood cells)

If not treated, the infection can become more severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion.
Call a doctor if you are exposed to mosquitoes and developed flu like symptoms (high fever, chills, headache).