Since the beginning of the year, 4 people have contracted malaria in Kazakhstan, reports the National Center for Public Health. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Center specialists warn Kazakhstani citizens to be cautious when traveling to tropical countries. In the last week alone, two cases of malaria were detected: one patient traveled to Gabon on a business trip, the other vacationed in Vietnam. The patients were diagnosed with two different forms of malaria — tropical and tertian.
Without timely treatment, the disease can become severe, affecting the brain, liver, kidneys, and respiratory system, and can even lead to death, doctors say. Tertian malaria is usually milder but has its own peculiarity: the pathogen can persist in the body for a long time, so the disease may recur several months after infection.
The diagnoses of the patients receiving treatment have been laboratory-confirmed, and they are hospitalized. Specialists are conducting the necessary set of anti-epidemic measures, says the National Center for Public Health.
Despite the development of modern medicine, malaria remains one of the most common parasitic infections in the world. It occurs in more than 80 countries, mainly in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, as well as in some Latin American countries. Malaria is transmitted through the bites of Anopheles mosquitoes. The disease is not transmitted through handshakes, dishes, food, water, or airborne droplets. There is no risk of further spread of the infection among the population. A person can only contract malaria if bitten by an infected mosquito.
Travelers going to malaria-endemic countries should seek professional advice, center specialists say. Protect yourself from mosquitoes: wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers, use mosquito nets and fumigators, and limit outdoor activities during the evening and night when mosquitoes are most active.
Symptoms of malaria include fever and chills. Other signs may appear several days or even weeks after the trip. In such cases, seek medical help immediately and inform the doctor about recent travel abroad.