Vector Borne Diseases: How Does Malaria Impact The Human Body In The Long-Term?

Malaria is a deadly disease which may have long-term impacts on a human body if a person get infected more than once. Let us find out what complications may arise.

Vector Borne Diseases: How Does Malaria Impact The Human Body In The Long-Term?

Malaria is a deadly vector borne disease caused by a parasite that spreads from mosquitoes. The mosquitoes bite an infected person and then bites another healthy person transferring the parasite to the next person's blood stream. Because the parasite present in the blood of a human body, it can also spread from one person to another during organ transplant or blood transfusion. However, mosquitoes are the main and the most common mediums of spread of malaria disease. The symptoms of malaria can be mild as well as severe and typically lasts from 10 days to 4 weeks after getting infected. You will experience high grade fever, chills in the body, sweat, malaise, headache, muscles aches, vomiting and nausea. Can malaria have long term impacts on a patient?

What Are The Long Term Impacts Of Malaria Disease?

Research suggests that long term implications can happen for people who have suffered from the disease multiple times. There are certain countries where malaria is an endemic disease and people travelling to and from these countries might even get infected more than once. This increases the risks of long term health repercussions because of the vector borne disease. Let us take a look at the possible outcomes:

1. A person may become susceptible to other bacterial infections after suffering from malaria.
2. Cognitive disability and unable to function optimally may be a long term effect. This is called cerebral malaria and is is considered as one of the most complicated impacts of the disease. It can cause serios neurological problems.
3. According to Mayo Clinic, cerebral malaria happens when the parasite present in our blood cells blood the blood vessels in the brain. This leads to inflammation and swelling in the brain causing motor problems, breathing problems, seizures and also coma.
4. Pregnant women may severely get impacted long-term by this disease if they get infected during their pregnancy term.
5. It can impact the foetus causing foetal developmental abnormalities.
6. It can increase the risk of pregnancy losses or miscarriages, premature delivery, low birth weight and other abnormalities in the newborn.

Children are vulnerable to long-term impacts as well such as:

1. Cognitive skills
2. Motor skills
3. Quality of life
4. Impairment in visual coordination
5. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder