Deadly long term effects of malaria you should know about

In Malaria, Long term complications do not usually appear, but patients with repeated events of Malaria infection, particularly frequent travellers to the Endemic region, are more vulnerable. Malaria Infection may tremendously affect the body which can bear long-term health consequences, ranging from accrued susceptibility to bacterial infection to cognitive disability. Cerebral malaria is the most serious neurological complication caused by malaria infection. Children often are highly affected and surviving patients often have an increased risk of life-long disorders which can profoundly impact their quality of life, including cognitive, motor skills, causing visual coordination impairment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Dr. Santosh Kumar Agrawal, Sr. Consultant physician, Internal Medicine, Marengo Asia Hospitals Faridabad says, “If malaria symptoms are left untreated, Patients may experience tremors, imbalance while walking and may continue to have fits owing to malaria. Some patients suffering from Malaria may develop acute renal impairment which if left unattended or delayed, can result in permanent damage to kidney structure minimising the renal functions of excreting urine and other wastes from the body. Such patients who suffer from prolonged impairment of renal functions are advised to be extra cautious and refrain from medications that can further extend damage to already affected kidneys.

In certain parts of the world, Malaria raises the risk of Hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly syndrome in which the spleen increases to massive size owing to an exaggerated immune response to repeated infections of malaria. Enlarged spleen may even rupture in some cases. Tropical Splenomegaly Syndrome is described by massive splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, marked elevations in levels of serum IgM and anti-malarial antibodies. This may give rise to decreased blood levels and generalised weakness and easy fatigability minimising quality of life and in case of rupture it can also turn fatal for the patients.

Malaria may have long-term effects on the foetus by virtue of foetal developmental abnormalities when the mother gets Malaria infection during pregnancy. It can raise the risk of increased pregnancy losses, low birth weight, premature delivery and other developmental abnormalities too.

Chronic Malaria is described by the lack of fever or any other severe symptoms, so this condition has long been characterised in the form of asymptomatic carriage of Malaria parasites. Chronic presence of Malaria parasites may lead to anaemia, making you prone to other infections too. Malaria may become the cause of modification in the immune system and make the body vulnerable to infection with some viruses like EBV which has a direct role in producing Lymphomas.

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