Malaria and dengue are both infectious diseases spread by many types of vectors and caused by various microorganisms. But they differ in certain ways and present significant problems in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Following are the differences between them in different criteria
Malaria vs Dengue: Causes
Plasmodium parasites, which cause malaria, enter female Anopheles mosquitoes and bite humans to spread the disease. Five different Plasmodium species can infect people; Plasmodium falciparum is the most dangerous and potentially lethal. Malaria, which affects millions of people globally, is common in tropical and subtropical areas, particularly in Africa. Fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, and anemia are among the primary symptoms. Malaria can develop serious complications, including organ failure and death if it is not treated.
Contrarily, the dengue virus, which is spread by Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti, causes dengue. Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas are among the tropical and subtropical regions with the highest dengue prevalence. Its hallmarks are the illness's abrupt onset of a high temperature, excruciating headache, acute joint and muscular pain, rash, and light bleeding. Dengue can develop into serious conditions like dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), which can be fatal, under some circumstances.
Malaria vs Dengue: Key Differences
The length of the symptoms for dengue and malaria are two important distinctions. Malaria often manifests as cyclic fevers with symptoms occurring every 48 to 72 hours depending on the Plasmodium species involved. In contrast, dengue fever lasts between two and seven days, with symptoms that arise suddenly and often go away after a week.
Blood samples are examined under a microscope to detect the presence of Plasmodium parasites in the diagnosis of malaria. There are also quick diagnostic tests available. Contrarily, laboratory tests are used to diagnose dengue to find the dengue virus or antibodies in the blood.
Malaria vs Dengue: Treatments
Antimalarial medications, including chloroquine or artemisinin-based combination therapy, are used to treat malaria and are specifically formulated for the local Plasmodium species and drug resistance patterns. Since there are no specific antiviral medications for dengue, treatment focuses on symptom relief. For the management of dengue cases, supportive care is crucial, including rest, hydration, and pain medication.
Malaria vs Dengue: Preventions
Vector control strategies, including the use of bed nets, pesticide sprays, and the eradication of mosquito breeding grounds, are used to prevent the spread of malaria and dengue. In some high-risk locations, there are also preventive drugs for malaria, although the main method of prophylaxis for dengue is avoiding mosquito bites.
