Malaria - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. Features of the disease in children under three years of age

What is Malaria in children -

Malaria- an infectious disease that lasts a long time, manifests itself in periodic attacks of fever, provokes an enlargement of the liver, spleen and progressive anemia.

Malaria caused Plasmodium falciparum, may occur with or without cerebral complications. Salaria caused by Plasmodium vivax, can lead to splenic rupture or other complications, and can also occur without complications. , caused Plasmodium malariae, may occur with nephropathy, with or without other complications. The disease can also be caused Plasmodium ovale.

The duration of passive immunity received by a baby in the womb lasts from 5 to 8 months. Children with genetically determined deficiency of certain erythrocyte enzymes and indigenous residents of natural foci are relatively resistant to the disease.

Malaria is most common in the summer and fall, as this is when mosquitoes are active. In winter, the pathogen lives in human body. In countries with a tropical climate, malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases. In our country, malaria practically does not occur; almost all cases are a disease of children who came from countries with a tropical climate.

What provokes / Causes of Malaria in children:

The causative agent - malarial plasmodium - belongs to the type of protozoa, the genus Plasmodium. There are 4 types of malaria pathogens in children: P. malariae, P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. ovale.

Pathogenesis (what happens?) during Malaria in children:

Attacks of the disease are caused by the erythrocyte phase of development of malarial plasmodia. An attack begins when infected red blood cells disintegrate and merozoites, free hemoglobin, metabolic products of the pathogen, fragments of red blood cells with pyrogenic substances, etc. are released into the blood. They affect the thermoregulatory center, which causes a pyrogenic reaction. They also have a general toxic effect.

The response to the process described above is hyperplasia of the reticuloendothelial and lymphoid elements of the liver and spleen and the phenomenon of sensitization with possible reactions hyperergic type.

Pathomorphology. When you have malaria, brown pigment is deposited in many organs. Its greatest amount is in the liver and spleen. This leads to the fact that the internal organs are painted in the corresponding shade. A sharp enlargement of the liver and spleen is recorded. With a long course of malaria, areas of sclerosis are formed in the parenchymal organs, which alternate with foci of anemic infarctions. There is plethora internal organs child with malaria.

Symptoms of Malaria in children:

The duration of incubation depends on the immunoreactivity of the child and the type of pathogen that has entered the body. The incubation period for 3-day malaria is from 1 to 3 weeks, for 4-day malaria - from 2 to 5 weeks, for tropical - less than 2 weeks. Also, its duration depends on the climate in which the child lives, the use of chemotherapy for preventive purposes, etc. The warmer the climate, the shorter incubation period.

The symptoms observed during the illness largely depend on the age of the patient. If a child is over 3 years old, then he or she exhibits the same clinical picture as adults with malaria. Before the first symptoms, sometimes headaches, malaise occur, and body temperature rises slightly.

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Malaria is infectious disease, which is accompanied by attacks of fever in the child.

Treatment of the disease involves the use of special medications.

The main measure to prevent malaria is timely vaccination children.

The disease is one of the deadly diseases and creates serious threat to life little patient. We will talk about the symptoms of malaria in children in this article.

Concept and characteristics

The term malaria in medical practice group of diseases whose causative agent is malarial plasmodium.

The infection mainly affects red blood cells contained in the blood.

In development infectious process is happening negative impact on bone marrow, spleen and liver of the child. Malaria can occur as a long attack or short-term manifestations with a period of remission.

Causes

The main reason for children's susceptibility to malaria is the weakness of their body's protective functions due to age characteristics. Particularly susceptible to infectious diseases babies with weakened immune systems under the influence of certain factors.

For example, during periods of illness, in the presence of errors in nutrition or autoimmune disorders. For children in this category, timely prevention of malaria plays an important role.

Otherwise, the risk of death for them will be much higher than for children with good protective functions body.

Causes of malaria infection the following factors may be involved:

  • the child’s stay in areas where the presence of malaria mosquitoes has been detected;
  • swimming in bodies of water with poor environmental characteristics;
  • bite by a female malaria mosquito;
  • genetic deficiency of red blood cell enzymes;
  • transfusion of blood contaminated with malarial plasmodium to a child;
  • intrauterine infection (if a woman was infected during pregnancy).

Photo of an analaria mosquito:

How does infection occur?

Malaria is caused by four types malarial plasmodium— P. Vivax, P. Malariae, P. falciparum and P. Ovale. Depending on the type of infection, the disease can be three-day, four-day, or have a specific tropical form.

The carriers of the malaria pathogen are mosquitoes. When insect bites, a person becomes infected, after which the infection goes through several stages of development in his body.

Incubation period illness can last up to three weeks.

Malaria carriers can be:

  • female malaria mosquito;
  • a person infected with malaria (with characteristic symptoms, the infection is transmitted through his blood);
  • gamete carrier (a person in whose body there is an infection, but there is no clinical manifestations, infection is possible through blood transfusion).

When a child becomes infected with malaria, destruction of red blood cells in the blood. The circulatory system is filled with a large amount of metabolic products and malarial pigment.

This factor causes a significant disruption of the blood supply to internal organs and their functioning. Malaria can provoke tissue sclerosis.

The consequence of the spread of infection is an increase in the size of the spleen, cirrhosis of the liver and other pathological conditions.

Features of the congenital form

Congenital malaria in infants occurs due to maternal infection during pregnancy. Infection can occur at any stage of gestation.

If a woman becomes infected in the first months of pregnancy, then in most cases there is miscarriage. With later infection, the risk of stillbirth or premature birth increases.

Peculiarities congenital malaria:

Congenital malaria in most cases causes infant death.

Symptoms and clinical picture

How does the disease manifest itself? Malaria always manifests itself in the form of regular attacks. The time intervals between them may be different. In some cases, symptoms infectious disease may occur over several years.

This form of malaria can only be avoided by timely treatment. With properly selected therapy, the risk of relapse can be eliminated after the first or second attack.

Symptoms of malaria manifests itself in three phases - chills and increased sweating, period of heat, increased sweating. Such conditions are accompanied by additional symptoms.

Signs malaria are the following conditions:

Complications and consequences

Among the most dangerous complications malaria in children includes cerebral edema, malarial coma and malarial algid. Each of these conditions can cause almost immediate death in a child.

Brain swelling is accompanied by a powerful attack of headache and foaming at the mouth.

Malarial algid is combined with a ruptured spleen in a child. Death occurs from blood loss.

Tropical coma may be accompanied by coma. During this condition, the microcirculation of the brain is disrupted and risk of death.

Complications Malaria can become the following conditions:

Diagnostics and tests

When diagnosing malaria, doctors not only collect anamnesis, but also identify the presence of children in other countries(especially in those where there is a particular prevalence of disease outbreaks).

First, the specialist evaluates general condition child, then research procedures are prescribed, which must be carried out on an emergency basis. It is necessary to detect malaria in a child as early as possible.

At diagnostics For malaria in children, the following procedures are used:

  • microscopy of a thick drop of blood;
  • examination of a blood smear for malarial plasmodium;
  • general and biochemical analysis blood and urine;
  • serological studies;
  • Ultrasound abdominal cavity to detect fluid accumulation.

Differential

Some diseases have symptoms similar to malaria.

Differential diagnosis is carried out for children with feverish conditions V mandatory. Treatment for such diseases is different.

Incorrect therapy can cause not only complications, but also death of a small patient. During diagnosis, additional consultations with specialized doctors and special examination procedures may be necessary.

Malaria is carried out with the following diseases:

  • hemolytic jaundice;
  • viral hepatitis B;
  • relapsing typhus;
  • leukemia;
  • cirrhosis;
  • tuberculosis;
  • purulent meningitis;
  • sepsis;
  • brucellosis;
  • meningoencephalitis.

Treatment methods

Treatment of malaria in children is carried out in a hospital setting. Drug therapy always supplemented with chemotherapy. The child must be provided with bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids and constant monitoring of doctors.

In addition to drugs used in the treatment of malaria infusion therapy, hemodialysis and hemosorption.

Such procedures restore the little patient’s body well and accelerate the tendency to recovery.

For malaria in children are used the following types drugs:

  • tissue schizontocides (Primakhin, Quinotsid);
  • hemato-schizotropic medicines(Delagil);
  • hepatocyte group drugs (Quinine, Chloroquine, Mepacrine);
  • hematotropic drugs (Bigumal).

Prevention and vaccination

Prevention of malaria in children is carried out in several areas. First of all it is necessary strengthen immune system baby from the first days of his life.

For this they can be used vitamin complexes, appropriate for his age, diet correction, procedures general health improvement(hardening, sufficient physical activity etc.).

The second direction is prevention of malaria in potentially dangerous areas.

The following recommendations are considered measures to prevent malaria:


The likelihood of death of a child in most cases occurs with tropical malaria. With other forms of the disease and the presence of timely therapy, the risk to the baby’s life can be eliminated in a short period of time.

If you suspect malaria, you should V as soon as possible call an ambulance. Self-medication can cause a rapid deterioration in the child’s condition. If there are complications of the infectious process, saving his life will be extremely difficult.

About the symptoms and treatment of malaria in this video:

We kindly ask you not to self-medicate. Make an appointment with a doctor!

Course of the disease.

Then comes the primary attack - the primary attack, initial malaria, in which predromal phenomena are distinguished, typical malarial paroxysms and early relapses, occurring at short (7 - 10 days) intervals and caused by exacerbation erythrocyte schizogony. Early relapses are observed in all forms of malaria. Total duration the initial attack is about 2 months. In tropical malaria, in almost half of the cases, less often in other forms, the disease is limited to a primary attack or even a series of primary paroxysms without early relapses.

The most characteristic pathological changes are varying degrees of anemia and changes in organs rich in reticulendelial tissue, primarily the spleen and liver. At autopsy, a peculiar grayish or brownish color of the organs is noted as a result of the deposition of the dark brown pigment hemomelanin in the cells of the reticulendothelium. In tropical malaria, attention is drawn to the presence of many infected red blood cells, which are concentrated in the small vessels of the brain, sinusoids of the spleen and capillaries gastrointestinal tract, but can be found in the vessels of all organs.

Malaria in children.

Malaria in older children usually occurs in the same way as in adults, and does not present any particular diagnostic difficulties. In younger children age groups(up to 3-4 years), especially infancy, malaria is characterized by significant originality clinical picture, which often lacks the brightest clinical symptom- malarial paroxysm. At the same time, symptoms such as convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain are observed, with a rapidly progressive deterioration of the condition, which requires immediate attention. differential diagnosis and appropriate etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy.

In tropical countries with high level Endemic malaria remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in children. In the first two months of life, children do not get malaria because they have innate immunity received from immune mothers. During the first year of life, almost all children suffer from tropical malaria. Mortality in this group of children is high, since the innate immunity is lost, and the acquired active one has not yet had time to develop. Thus, in highly endemic malarial foci, malaria is predominantly a childhood disease.

The causative agent of malaria, also known as malarial plasmodium, is merciless towards all its potential hosts, regardless of their age. Malaria in infants is extremely rare. But for older children, the risk of being bitten by a malaria mosquito and infected with single-celled protozoa is quite high.

Characteristics of the pathogen

There are several types of plasmodia that can harm humans:

  • P. vivax causes tertian malaria;
  • P. falciparum is its tropical variety.

The development of malarial plasmodium occurs with a change of hosts. He has two of them: a human and a mosquito from the genus Anopheles. Life cycle The protozoa consists of asexual and sexual generations. Asexual schizonts develop in human red blood cells. They fill the entire space of the red blood cell, mature in it, break up into asexual micromerozoites, which penetrate into new healthy blood cells and the cycle repeats. The erythrocyte cycle lasts for a day in the three-day form and two days in the tropical form.

The disease is most often found in areas where there are many bodies of water - places suitable for the development of mosquito larvae. Malaria is characterized by seasonality. It also depends on the duration of incubation and the developmental characteristics of the vector. The sexual generation of protozoa develops in the tissues of the mosquito. As a result, sporoumbrellas are formed, ready for infection.


Pathogenesis of the disease

Symptoms of malaria in adults and older children are almost the same. In the youngest patients, the disease occurs with a number of features.

In the southern regions, incubation of the pathogen lasts from 10 to 20 days. The main symptom is attacks of fever that occur every 2 days in the three-day form and after 4 days in the four-day form. The tropical form is characterized by an abnormally remitting attack.

Malaria in a child begins with shaking chills with a temperature of up to 41°C. The patient suffers from pain in the legs and lower back, from excessive agitation, headaches, delirium, and clouded consciousness. Chills give way to thirst and fever. Heavy sweat ends the attack. After a certain time, the temperature returns to normal, the patient feels better, but remains drowsy and weak.


The duration of the attack depends on the form of malaria:

  • up to 8 hours with three days;
  • up to 36 hours with four-day and tropical conditions.

In addition, anemia develops, caused by massive damage to red blood cells. The duration of three-day malaria without treatment is 1.5-2 years, four-day malaria is many years.

Deterioration of the condition is accompanied by cirrhosis of the liver, mental disorders, swelling of brain tissue, malarial coma, acute renal failure. An attack of tropical fever can be fatal.

The cause of death of the patient is blockage of the capillary network of the brain with the simplest consequences and consequences in the form of:

  • circulatory brain disorders;
  • spontaneous urination and bowel movements;
  • respiratory and urinary disorders;
  • seizures;
  • stunned;
  • disappearance of some reflexes (tendon, skin, etc.).

Symptoms of malaria in infants

Malaria in infants is characterized by less severe chills and the absence of profuse sweating at the end of the attack. High temperature the body does not jump, but remains constant. Developing symptoms resemble meningoencephalitis with seizures, intestinal dysfunction, severe toxicosis and cardiovascular failure.

When making a diagnosis, the staging characteristic of attacks and the temperature curve are taken into account. Additional diagnostics is carried out in order to distinguish malaria from leishmaniasis, which is common in the southern regions, as well as from sepsis. For laboratory examination Blood is taken 2 times: during an attack and after it. If protozoa are present, the diagnosis is confirmed. Their absence does not exclude malaria.

Treatment of malaria in children

Therapy is based on antimalarial drugs, which should preferably be used as early as possible. Treatment is carried out until the protozoa are completely destroyed in the patient’s body and the source of plasmodium is eliminated.

Antimalarial compounds act on the pathogen by different stages its development.

There are 3 groups of medicines:

  • Those that act on the asexual generation. Represented by Quinine, Bigumal, Akrikhin, Chloroquine, etc.
  • Active against gametes or germ cells (Primaquine, Plasmocid).
  • Destructive forms located outside of red blood cells.

Influencing protozoa on different stages development, it is possible to achieve positive dynamics in the treatment of malaria.


Start with Chloroquine, taken for 3 days. Akrikhin therapy is continued for the next 4-5 days. For the tropical form, Bigumal is used additionally for 5 days. At the end of the cycle, take Quinocid. The treatment course lasts 2-3 weeks.

Malaria was once treated with anti-relapse methods. Today, with the advent of Khinocide, this technique is used in the treatment of tropical malaria, which appeared at the end of last year or at the beginning of this year.

Patients with malignant and comatose forms require immediate treatment. The patient receives intravenous (0.1 g) and intramuscular injections Arinina (0.2 g). After 6 hours, another 0.3 g is administered.

Effective treatment with Chloroquine with the introduction of 10 ml of solution with a mass fraction active substance 0.05 and repeat after 6 hours. The dosage presented is for adults. Children's doses are determined by the attending physician and depend on the age of the child. In a coma state, the treatment tactics adopted for the corresponding conditions are carried out.

With timely treatment, the disease ends after the first attack. Patients who have recovered from malaria are monitored at the dispensary for about 2.5 years, and throughout this period they donate blood for testing.

Prevention


The solution to the problem of eliminating the source of infection is carried out early diagnosis and treatment of gamete carriers and malaria patients. To prevent infection in areas where the malaria mosquito is common, use mechanical methods control in the form of netting windows, installing curtains over sleeping places, as well as prevention with special ointments, creams, chloroquine (1 daily dose per week).

Persons traveling to countries where malaria is a problem are given chemoprophylaxis. Active vaccination is also possible.

To combat vectors of malarial plasmodium:

  • Gambusia fish, which feed on mosquito larvae, are bred in reservoirs;
  • carry out reclamation of wet areas;
  • Mosquito habitats are filled with oil;
  • pollinated with the preparation “Paris greens”;
  • insecticides are used.

Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted to humans by infected female mosquitoes through their bites. Another source of the disease can be a transfusion of contaminated blood, although transmission of the disease in this way is unlikely.

The disease is characterized by attacks of fever. Translated from Italian language malaria, from mala aria - bad air. Used to be the reason The occurrence of the disease was considered to be bad air - hence the name.

The mechanism of infection is as follows: after a female mosquito bites a person infected with malaria, his blood enters the salivary glands insect and becomes a source of infection for the next person bitten.

Reasons

The main cause of malaria in children is bites from infected female mosquitoes. In addition to cases where the disease is caused by a mosquito bite, cases of infection of children in the womb of an infected mother have been observed. The peak incidence occurs in summer and autumn - a period of particular activity of mosquitoes. Malaria is common in countries with a pronounced tropical climate. In our country, the disease was observed in children who came from these countries.

The causative agent of malaria in children is Plasmodium falciparum. The causative agent belongs to the phylum of protozoa, the class of Sporozoans, the order of Blood Sporozoans, and the family of Plasmodium. To date, the following types of malaria pathogens have been identified:

  • P. malariae - plasmodium - the causative agent of the so-called four-day malaria;
  • P. vivax is the causative agent of tertian malaria;
  • P. falciparum is the causative agent of tropical malaria;
  • P. ovale is the causative agent of tertian malaria.

Symptoms

Malaria in children occurs over a long period of time and is characterized by atypical attacks. The main symptoms of the disease include:

  • paleness skin and cyanosis;
  • coldness of the extremities - the child’s arms and legs become numb;
  • increase in temperature;
  • frequent seizures;
  • vomit;
  • gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea;
  • development of anemia;
  • enlarged liver and spleen.

As mentioned above, children are characterized by atypical attacks of fever. Therefore, a blood test is especially important and must be taken before antimalarial treatment is prescribed.

If your child shows symptoms of malaria, including up to a year after you return from travel, you should seek immediate medical attention. This infectious disease has a very long incubation period and can occur many months after infection.

Diagnosis of malaria in a child

Early diagnosis of the disease in a child will reduce the severity of malaria, and most importantly, prevent death. In addition, diagnosing malaria prevents its further spread, as the level of its transmission is reduced.

  • microscopy;
  • or a diagnostic rapid test.

Complications

If a disease is detected in a child, all necessary measures should be urgently taken to combat the disease. If malaria in a child is not diagnosed and treated in time, the consequences of the disease can be very severe, including death. Main possible complications malaria in children are:

  • anemia;
  • cerebral malaria;
  • difficulty breathing as fluid accumulates in the lungs;
  • renal failure and jaundice;
  • shock from a sharp drop in blood pressure;
  • bleeding;
  • Very low performance blood sugar;
  • swelling and rupture of the spleen;
  • dehydration is a lack of water in the body.

It is especially worth noting the fact that complications of malaria can occur within just a few hours after the first symptoms of the disease. The disease develops very rapidly. It is important to provide urgent, timely medical care, and do it as soon as possible.

If the disease appears in a child after you return from a trip, you must call a doctor at home. This should be done even if anti-malarial tablets have been taken. The doctor must receive full information about which countries you visited in the last 12 months, including any stopovers.

As mentioned above, malaria is characterized by rapid development. Due to this great value acquires timely and accurate diagnosis, as well as correct treatment illness in a child. Remember that you are putting your child at great risk of contracting malaria if you travel with him to an affected area. of this disease district. It is necessary to take increased precautions in order to reduce the risk of developing a dangerous disease.

Treatment

Treatment of malaria is reduced to eliminating all symptoms and is aimed at eliminating them as quickly as possible.

What can you do

The first thing you need to do is urgently answer the following questions:

  • whether the child has partial immunity to malaria;
  • whether the disease is caused by Plasmodium falciparum;
  • what strains of malarial plasmodia are common in the area of ​​infection;
  • Is there a history and physical or laboratory research any signs of complications of malaria.

What does a doctor do

Based on the answers to the above questions, the doctor will prescribe the child antimalarial treatment with appropriate drugs. required doses. All prescriptions must be strictly followed in order to avoid complications and severe course of the disease. The prognosis for malaria in children is favorable if all conditions of the prescribed treatment are met. Otherwise, there may be a threat to life with fatal. If you are offered hospitalization, you do not need to refuse it.

Prevention

To prevent malaria in children, it is recommended to avoid traveling with children to endemic areas whenever possible. If you are in an area with a high incidence of malaria, keep children away from areas with large insect infestations. The active phase of mosquitoes is from sunset to sunrise. At this time, it is better for children not to be outside.

It is also advisable that children cover all areas of their body with clothing. Dress them in long sleeved shirts and long pants. You need to get a mosquito net and cover it with it sleeping place child.