Malaria

Abstract

This review intends to show general aspects of malaria and emphasize its importante nowadays. Malaria is the main endemic disease in the world with hundreds of millions new cases per year and more than 2 millions deaths in the same period of time. In Brazil, malaria is a important social illness, with main
occurrence in Amazon region. The disease is characterized by a paroxysm with shiver, fever and sudoresis in its clinical characteristic manifestation, but with variations according to Plasmodium specie and previous immunity of the human being. The pathogenicity is dependent of mechanical erythrocyte destruction and the overproduction of key infl'ammatory mediators with emphasis to TNF. Diagnosis is obtained by direct vision of the parasite and the treatment change according to resistance pattern of Plasmodium falciparurn to different drugs. To individual prophylaxis is recommended use of repellents andlor chemoprophylaxis and its important engineering measures to drain water and sometimes DDT in walls of houses in hyperendemic region.