Travel Health

Question 1

What happens when someone is infected with malaria?

Answer 1

1. Mosquito bite
2. Parasite enters bloodstream and travels to liver. Infection develops in the liver
3. It re-enters bloodstream and invades RBCs
4. Parasite grows and multiplies in RBCs
5. Infected RBCs burst and release more parasites into the blood

Question 2

What are the symptoms of malaria?

Answer 2

• Usually 10-15 days after being bitten but can appear up to 1 year later
• Fever, chills, sweats, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea
• Complications include organ failure due to breathing problems
• Cerebral malaria - seizures, coma, death

Question 3

What are the factors affecting exposure risk to malaria?

Answer 3

• Temperature, altitude, season
• Rural vs urban
• Type of accommodation
• Activity patterns
• Length of stay

Question 4

Briefly discuss they ways in which travellers can reduce their risk of contracting malaria in an endemic country.

Answer 4

Awareness of risk- check destination and know the signs and symptoms

Bite prevention – insect repellent, cover up with clothing

Chemoprophylaxis – using antimalarials to prevent onset e.g. Proguanil 200mg OD for 1 week before, during, 4 weeks afterwards and ensure that you are compliant with the medication

Diagnosis

Mosquito nets

Question 5

What kind of parasite is malaria?

Answer 5

Plasmodium types