Malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted via mosquito bites. It affects over 1.5 million people annually in India. The most common species that cause malaria in humans are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Symptoms include fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Diagnosis is usually done via microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests, and treatment involves antimalarial drugs like chloroquine, primaquine, and artemisinin combination therapy depending on the Plasmodium species. Prevention strategies include mosquito bite avoidance, especially at night when the vectors are most active, and completing antimalarial drug treatment courses if exposed

1. Malaria
-Anant Dev Asheesh
International Institute of Health
Management Research

2. Introduction to Malaria
Malaria is a vector borne disease
It occurs in Humans and other animals
It is caused by Plasmodium
Currently there are 200 known species of
Plasmodium

3. At least 11 species effect human beings
Falciparum and Vivax are the major species
which cause Malaria
1.5 million confirmed cases of Malaria are
reported annually by National Vector Borne
Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)

4. Symptoms of Malaria

5. The Other Symptoms
Running Nose, Cough and other signs of
Respiratory infection
Abdominal pain
Stomach disorder with inflammation of
intestines
Skin Rash
Ear discharge
Abnormal enlargement of Lymph Nodes

6. Diagnosis
Microscopy
Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT)
Note- NVBDCP provides RDT kits in the areas where
microscopy results can’t be obtained in 24 hrs

7. Treatment
Malaria is treated with a class of drugs called
anti malarial.
Antimalarial drugs are designed to attack the
parasites that cause malaria
 It prevents them from spreading while also
killing them off so they can’t continue causing
infection.

8. Anti malarial drugs
Treatment for P. Vivax malaria
Confirmed P. vivax cases should be treated with
chloroquine in full therapeutic dose of 25 mg/kg
divided over three days.
In some patients, P. vivax may cause relapse (A
form of P. vivax or P. Ovale parasites called as
hypnozoites remain dormant in the liver cells.
These hypnozoites can later cause a relapse). For its
prevention, primaquine should be given at a dose
of 0.25 mg/kg body weight daily for 14 days under
supervision.

9. Treatment for P. Falciparum Malaria
 Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT)
 ACT consists of an artemisinin derivative combined
with a long acting antimalarial
(amodiaquine, lumefantrine, mefloquine or
sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine).
It should be given to all confirmed P. falciparum cases
found positive by microscopy or RDT. This is to be
accompanied by single dose primaquine (0.75 mg/kg
body weight).

10. How can MALARIA be prevented
Malaria can be treated by:
Being aware of the main symptoms
Taking anti-malarial medicines as directed
Immediately see a doctor and seek treatment
if a fever develops after entering a malaria-risk
zone or after leaving the area
The malaria causing mosquitoes bite in night
These mosquitoes hibernate in dirty water

11. Malaria Cases (2012)
• Top 10 Malaria States in India-
STATE CASES
Odisha 187309
Jharkhand 101126
Chattisgarh 72770
Gujrat 55272
Madhya Pradesh 45200
West Bengal 39378
Maharashtra 38003
Uttar Pradesh 31800
Rajasthan 25803
Assam 25304
INDIA 7,36,875

12. References
 Chavatte J.M., Chiron F., Chabaud A., Landau I. (March 2007). "Probable
speciations by "host-vector 'fidelity'": 14 species of Plasmodium from
magpies". Parasite14 (1): 21–37.PMID 17432055.
 Perkins S.L., Austin C. (September 2008). "Four New Species of
Plasmodium from New Guinea Lizards: Integrating Morphology and
Molecules". J. Parasitol. 95 (2): 1. doi:10.1645/GE-1750.1. PMID 18823150
 Guidelines for Malaria Diagnosis
http://www.mrcindia.org/Guidelines%20for%20Diagnosis2011.pdf
 Rapid Diagnosis Test, http://www.wpro.who.int/malaria/sites/rdt/
 National drug policy on malaria (2010). Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare/Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control
Programme, Govt. of India. http://www.nvbdcp.gov.in
 www.indiastat.com