Introduction

Malaria is an important public illness in term of morbidity and mortality, causing more than 200 million cases each year⁽¹⁾. Consistent with the WHO World Malaria report 2017, an estimated 216 million cases of malaria and 445 000 malaria deaths passed off in 2016 worldwide. Out of 216 million cases of malaria that befell worldwide in 2016, India account for six percentage. Seven percentage of all the malaria associated deaths happened in India in 2016. India recorded the most number of deaths in the Southeast Asian region. India stands third in the list of 15 countries that contributed to eighty percentage of the global malaria burden. About 4% of estimated cases globally have been triggered by using P. Vivax, but outside the African continent this percentage was once 36%. India was first among six nations, as opposed to Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Pakistan — that reported 85 percent of vivax malaria cases⁽²⁾. Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of a female anopheles mosquito and rarely using blood transfusion. There are 4 species of Plasmodium which causes malaria in humans. The species are P.Falciparum, P.Vivax, P.Malariae and P.Ovale. Among these 4 species, P.Falciparum is more dangerous and more responsible for mortality and extreme problems, which include cerebral malaria, anaemia and renal failure⁽³⁾.

 It is a disease that can be treated in just 48 hours, yet it can cause fatal complications if the diagnosis and treatment are delayed⁽⁴⁾. Most adults living in malaria endemic areas have partial immunity and are at risk of chronic or repeated infections⁽⁵⁾. Many are asymptomatic carriers of the disease. Typically, malaria produces fever, headache, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. If drugs are not available for treatment or the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can progress rapidly to become life-threatening⁽⁶⁾. Malaria parasites are developing unacceptable levels of resistance to one drug after another and many insecticides are no longer useful against mosquitoes transmitting the disease⁽⁷⁾.

1. Autino B, Noris A, Russo R, Castelli F. Epidemiology ofmalaria in endemic areas. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis2012;4(1): e2012060.
2. World malaria report 2017 World Health Organization.
3. Jasani H. J., Sancheti M.S., et al. Association of the electrolyte disturbances (Na+, K+) with the type and severity of the malarial parasitic infection. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2012 (Suppl- 2);6(4):678-681.
4. Kakkilaya BS, 2002. Malaria. Integrated Physical Digest, 1 (3): 12-15
5. H.O., 2003a. Aids to human malaria diagnosis: Appearance of parasite stages in Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood film: WHO Division of Control of Tropical Diseases. Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 84 (3): 61-65.
6. Stanley J, 1997. Malaria: Emergency Medicine in North America, 150: 113-153.
7. H.O., 2003b. Global Malaria Control and Strategy. WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, 2: 1-25.)
8. Jimmy E O, Usoh I F and Umoh I. Assessment of Intracellular and Extracellular Fluids (ICG, ECf) Compartments with Antimal, Chloroquine, Coartem, Fansidar and Malareich. Journal of Natural Sciences Research. 2013;3(1): 59-63.
9. Kakkilaya BS (1997) Malaria: In Parks Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. (15thedn), K Park.
10. Heindricks RG, Hassan AH, Olurinde LO, Akindkani A (1971) Malaria in early childhood. Annals of TropicalMedicine. 65:316-3
11. Mishra SK, Mohapatra S, Mohanty S, Patel NC, Mohapatra DN. Acute renal failure in falciparum malaria. Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine 2002; 3 : 141-47.
12. Tayler TE, Stricklanad GT. Malaria. In:Strickland GT. Hunter’s tropical medicine and emerging infectious diseases. 8th edition Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 2000; 614-43.
13. Jasmin H. Jasani, Sankalp M. Sancheti, Bijol S. Gheewala, Kaushik V. Bhuva, Varsha S. Doctor, Anand B. Vacchani, et al. Association of Electrolyte Disturbances (Na+,K+) with Type and Severity of Malarial Parasitic Infection. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2012 May (Suppl-2), Vol-6(4): 678-681.
14. 1“Uzuegbu UE. Serum Electrolytes and Urea Changes in P. falciparum Malarial Infected Children in Nigeria. Asian J. Med. Sci., 2011; 3(2):50-51.
15. Etim OE, Ekaidem IS, Akpan EJ, Usoh IF and Akpan HD. Changes in electrolyte levels in uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: the effects of quinine therapy. Continental J. Pharmacology and Toxicology Research, 2011; 4 (1): 5-10.
16. Maitland K, Pamba A, Fegan G, Njuguna P, Nadel S, Newton CRJC and Lowe B. Electrolyte Changes in Causes of Severe Malaria. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 40:9–16.
17. Ikekpeazu EJ, Neboh EE, Aguchime NC, Maduka IC, Anyanwu EG. Malaria parasitaemia: effect on serum sodium and potassium levels. Biology and Medicine, 2010; 2 (2):20-25.
18. Jasani JH, Sancheti SM, Gheewala BS, Bhuva KV, Doctor VS, Vacchani AB, Patel VR, Dharya L. (2012). Association of the Electrolyte Disturbances (Na+, K+) with Type and Severity of Malarial Parasitic Infection. J ClinDiagn Res, 6 ( 4): 678– 681. [Google Scholar
19. Yoel C. (2007). Clinical symptoms and electrolytes description of children with malaria an outpatient setting in kabupatenmandailing natal. M K N, 40 (1). March 2007. [Google Scholar]
20. Ikekpeazu EJ, Neboh EE, Aguchime NC, Maduka IC, Anyanwu EG. (2010). A study on malaria parasitemia :-effect on the sodium and potassium levels. J Biol Med, 2 ( 2): 20–
21. Olaniyan MF. (2005). The Pattern of Packed Cell Volume, Plasma Electrolytes and Glucose Levels In Patients Infected With Plasmodium falciparum. Afr J Clin Exp Microbiol, 6 (2): 87– 90. [Google Scholar]

Dr Raghunandan Meena

Associate Professor, Medicine, Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar Rajasthan