Malaria

Prevention

Dietsmann HSE Awareness Campaign

VECTOR CONTROL TEAM BASRA

 WHAT IS MALARIA ?

A febrile illness caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes.

There are four types of Plasmodium parasites:

FALCIPARUM - Very common in West Africa

Untreated, it can kill you

Vivax causes milder disease and unless correctly treated

can hide in the liver causing malaria relapses many months
and even years later

Plasmodium Malariae and Ovale are less important species

in West Africa

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What happens when you get bitten by an infected
mosquito?

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 Malaria Prevention
Saves Lives

Malaria kills an African child every 30 seconds!

More than 1,000,000 deaths a year!

If diagnosed and treated correctly

and without delay, recovery is complete

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 Mind before
Madness

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 Malaria risk awareness

Initial symptoms:

Fever
Sweats
Chills
Headache
Body aches
Muscular pain
Nausea and vomiting

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 Malaria risk awareness

Cerebral malaria is a consequence

of severe malaria with
supplementary signs:

Irritability
Confusion
Convulsions
Coma

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 Mosquito bite prevention

Two lines of defence against

mosquito bites:

Mosquito control programmes

Personal protection

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 Mosquito bite prevention
How can mosquitoes be eliminated?
The aim is to reduce the mosquito population
by destroying larvae and by killing adult
mosquitoes.

Measures include:
Draining of swamps, ditches

Eliminating standing water (keep plants away

from vicinity of patios and doors, remove or
cover outside containers that can hold water...)

Preventing mosquito access to living quarters

(window and door screens, plumbing
fixtures...)

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 Mosquito bite prevention

How can I best protect myself?

Personal protection is aimed at avoiding

mosquitoes and minimizing being bitten:

inside
Use bed nets treated with
Permethrin insecticide (use
correctly and check for holes!)
Close doors and windows.
Use air conditioning when
available.
Indoor residual spraying (IRS).

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 Mosquito bite prevention

How can I best protect myself?

e
outsid
Limit outdoor activities from dusk
to dawn whenever possible
Wear long sleeves and
Permethrin-treated shirts and
trousers
Use insect repellent on exposed
skin, minimal 30% DEET

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 Take anti-malarial drugs

Mosquito bites cannot be completely avoided.

Regular medication is required to
prevent/suppress malaria.
Adequately and promptly treated, malaria
is a curable disease.

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 Take anti-malarial drugs

The selection of drugs involves an analysis

of risks and benefits based on several
considerations:

Prevalence and type of malaria resistance.

Duration and place of stay.
Intensity of mosquito contact.
Age (adult versus child) and state of health
(pregnant/lactating women...).
Past experience with the recommended drug.

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 Take anti-malarial drugs

How do I determine which drug

protection is best for me?

The treatment must be prescribed by a doctor

who is familiar with tropical diseases in order
to prescribe you the appropriate drugs.

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 Take anti-malarial drugs

Think carefully before making your decision

as to whether or not to take the preventive
medicine.

The risk of side effects is always

smaller than the risk of malaria,
which is DEATH!

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 See a doctor urgently...

...if you suspect malaria!

Symptoms may arise one week or
more after entering a malaria risk area.
Symptoms may develop up to 3
months after departure.
Immediate treatment is essential.
Even if you are taking preventive treatment:
be aware, ensure early diagnosis.

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Mind before Madness

Prepared by:
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