A Detailed Handbook On Malaria And How It Affects The Kidneys

Malaria is considered a life-threatening disorder caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bites of mosquitoes – infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Back in 2019, around 229 million cases of Malaria were accounted for worldwide. 

To reduce the adversities and the chances of Malaria infections, the World Health programs are distributing preventive drugs and specially designed and insecticide-treated bed nets that can help people prevent mosquito bites. 

The adept healthcare organisations have set special health guidelines for travellers, instructing them to wear protective clothing and carry bed nets and insecticides to protect themselves. They should also take preventive medicines before, during and after if travelling to a high-risk area. 

Besides, Malaria also shares some common symptoms as of Covid-19 and hence it is best to reach out to a Covid specialist doctor to understand the symptoms and seek proper diagnosis and treatment as early as possible. 

Before we talk about the adversities of malaria and how it affects different parts of a body, given below are some of the symptoms to look out for – 

  • Chills
  • Fever 
  • Cough
  • Headache
  • Feelings of discomfort
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Rapid breathing and heart rate
  • Diarrhoea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle pain
  • Joint pain

Individuals who are highly infected with Malaria also experience cycles of Malaria attacks. The attacks usually begin with chills and shivering and get followed by high fever, sweating and returning to normal body temperature. The symptoms of malaria can be noticed within a few weeks after getting bitten by an infected mosquito. 

*To note: Certain types of Malaria parasites can also lie dormant inside your body for up to a year with no signs or symptoms. On noticing abnormalities or frequent discomfort within your body it is best to seek medical advice before it is too late.

Complications of Malaria 

Malaria is one of the most fatal diseases, especially when caused by the plasmodium species that is quite common in Africa. Some of the serious complications of Malaria include – 

Breathing problems – Malaria can lead to the accumulation of fluid in your lungs which makes breathing quite difficult. Respiratory disorders can also be a symptom of Covid-19. With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to seek medical help immediately upon experiencing the slightest discomfort in breathing. You can consult a Covid specialist doctor online if you do not feel comfortable visiting a chamber amidst this catastrophe. 

Low blood sugar – some forms of malaria can also lower blood sugar levels in your body. This is because they offer common medicine that is prescribed to combat malaria, namely quinine. Abrupt falling of sugar levels can lead to adverse conditions like coma or even death. 

Organ failure – Malaria tends to damage the kidneys or liver and causes the spleen to rupture. Any of such conditions is considered life-threatening and should be taken utmost care of. In some cases, the liver gets intensely congested and swollen and numerous parasitized red cells can be demonstrated. This gives way to other liver diseases such as fatty liver, cirrhosis and more. Upon noticing the slightest symptoms of fatty liver, it is important to seek medical help immediately to stop the deterioration. You can consider opting for online doctor consultation to seek treatment at the comfort of your home. To ensure a seamless consultation, you can register on leading platforms like Doctor2Car, speak to top doctors, and address your health concerns. 

Anaemia – Malaria also affects the number of red blood cells in our body and the supply of oxygen to the tissues leading to conditions like Anaemia. 

How does malaria affect the kidneys? 

As per the leading healthcare research houses, malaria is one of the most prevalent endemic diseases across the globe which affects millions of people. Malaria affects the kidney massively and complications may occur due to hemodynamic dysfunction and weakened immune response, especially among the elderly. 

The World Health organisation instructs the use of intravenous or intramuscular antimalarial drugs as an effective way to combat adverse conditions. The use of these drugs should be administered for a minimum of 24 hours or until the concerned patient can tolerate oral medication. Renal replacement therapy or dialysis can be an effective treatment for AKI or Acute Kidney Injury. However, before concluding it is important to have a detailed discussion with your physician to understand if your body requires dialysis. 

This is further important in the case of elderly patients as dialysis can be a continuous process that might be quite strenuous for the elderly. For medical consultation, you can register online on platforms like Doctor2Care to find the top doctors and address your health concerns. 

Additionally, Doctor2Care also offers secured and comfortable consultations at any time from anywhere.  On registering you also get access to cloud storage to manage medical documents online conveniently minus the hassles of preserving papers and tons of medical reports. The storage is unique to you and the credentials are shared at the time of registration. 

So what are you waiting for? 

Register now and address your health concerns conveniently!