Transcript Manual Handling

Malaria
Prevention
Dietsmann HSE Awareness Campaign
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
What happens when you get bitten by an infected
mosquito?
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
Mind before
Madness
Malaria risk awareness
Initial symptoms:
 Fever
 Sweats
 Chills
 Headache
 Body aches
 Muscular pain
 Nausea and vomiting
Malaria risk awareness
Cerebral malaria is a consequence
of severe malaria with
supplementary signs:
 Irritability
 Confusion
 Convulsions
 Coma
Mosquito bite prevention
Two lines of defence against
mosquito bites:
 Mosquito control programmes
 Personal protection
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...)
Mosquito bite prevention
How can I best protect myself?
Personal protection is aimed at avoiding
mosquitoes and minimizing being bitten:
 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).
Mosquito bite prevention
How can I best protect myself?
 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
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.
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.
Take anti-malarial drugs
For local population
Malaria Chemoprophylaxis is not recommended
for semi-immune employees.
In areas of high transmission of P. falciparum, at
least one of the two core vector control
interventions should cover the risk:
 Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs).
 Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).
Take anti-malarial drugs
For local population
 To protect pregnant women: Intermittent
preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp)
is recommended.
 Children under 5 years of age should
therefore be treated on the basis of a clinical
diagnosis of malaria.
Take anti-malarial drugs
For Expatriates and Visitors
Recommended treatment:
 Atovaquone-proguanil combination
(Malarone®)
 Mefloquine (Lariam 250®)
 Doxycycline (Doxypalu®)
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.
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!
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.
Mind before Madness