There is no known cure for malaria, so prevention is the only cure you can bank on. This article presents a few handy tips to keep malaria at bay.
Mosquitoes are a modern day bane to human society. The tiny creature has enough power to fell the strongest human being with just a bite. It takes a single mosquito bite to cause a variety of illnesses like dengue, malaria, filariasis and chikungunya.
What causes malaria?
The question ‘What causes malaria?’ is answered quite simply: it is caused by an infection transferred to the human bloodstream by the female Aedes Anopheles mosquito. The infected mosquito can transfer the infection in just one bite. It is then incubated inside the red blood cells and starts multiplying there – this takes about three to four days in most cases.
After the incubation period is over, the person starts showing the symptoms of malaria. These include high fever, chills, nausea, lack of appetite and difficulty in swallowing both food and drinks. These symptoms may be confused with those of a common viral fever or dengue. Early detection and correct diagnosis are key in controlling the symptoms of malaria. There is no known cure for the illness yet.
Since it is caused by infection-ridden mosquitoes, everybody is at equal risk of contracting malaria. From babies to senior citizens, anyone can suffer from it. The only course of action you can take is to prevent mosquito bites in the first place.
How to make your home malaria-proof
Making your home malaria-proof is not as difficult as it first appears. You need to maintain constant vigil and arm yourself with the right mosquito killing tools to get rid of the menace.
- Mosquitoes that cause malaria can bite at any time during the day, but they strike the most during the dusk hours. This is the time that you will see increased mosquito activity – several of them will fly in through the doors and windows.
- Most people respond by shutting their doors and windows, but the tiniest gap is enough for the mosquito to creep through. Besides, the indoor air becomes foul in no time when there is no ventilation.
- If you notice increased mosquito activity in the house, close the doors and windows and spray the air and under the furniture with a good mosquito killer spray. The best sprays get to work in seconds, weakening and killing lurking mosquitoes. Open the doors and windows after about 15 minutes of spraying the room.
- Keep the air inside your house crisp and dry. Mosquitoes thrive on warm and humid conditions. You can switch on the AC on days when there is high humidity, or use a dehumidifier.
- Light neem incense sticks during the monsoon season to repel mosquitoes and clean the air of infectious germs.
