Deadly vivax malaria causes heart attacks in Mumbai

A new, more virulent strain of malaria is causing heart attacks and several other medical conditions which are not related to the infection, reports said.

Malaria is often presented with symptoms like high fever, chills and shivering. Generally, the disease is considered not very dangerous if treated in early stages.

The new cases of malaria infections reported in various parts of Mumbai prove to be vary dangerous as they to dangerous disease conditions including heart attacks.

The genetic mutation of malaria vivax strain, which earlier was mild in nature, is leading to liver/kidney failure, acute lung injury, and in some cases even heart attacks, according to medical experts.

“Normally we have malaria vivax-positive patients coming in with high fever and body ache. But this time, almost 30 per cent patients are coming with heart problems, severe breathlessness and restlessness. Some had suffered heart attacks too. Echo clearly indicated depressed heart functions,” chest specialist Dr Khusrav Bajan at the Hinduja Hospital was quoted as saying.

Several cases of heart ailments linked with malaria have been reported at Mumbai’s leading hospitals of Hinduja, Jupiter, Breach Candy, and Lilavati in the past week.

The malarial parasite, on entering the blood stream, ruptures the cells, causing them to clot. This disrupts flow of blood and leads to heart attack, experts said.

Blood clotting due to malaria till now was seen to occur only in small vessels. An artery getting clogged in new.

What is vivax malaria?

Malaria is a  parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Plasmodium vivax is the most common of four human malaria species (P. falciparum, malariae, ovale, and vivax). P. vivax causes up to 65% of malaria in India and is becoming increasingly resistant to malaria drugs. By contrast, P. falciparum is the most deadly species and the subject of most malaria-related research and literature.

Symptoms of P. vivax malaria are similar to those of other types of malaria and include cyclical fever and chills, headache, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The most common complication is enlargement of the spleen. P. vivax malaria is rarely fatal, but relapses often occur months to years after treatment because some of the parasites can become dormant in the liver. Special medication can be taken to kill the dormant parasites.

P. vivax is introduced into the bloodstream by the Anopheles mosquito. The parasites enter the liver cells, where most5 divide to form schizonts consisting of numerous merozoites.

Leaving the liver, merozoites invade red blood cells and reproduce. After 48 hours or so, enough merozoites are produced to burst the red blood cells, resulting in fever and chills characteristic of malaria. Some merozoites then develop into male or female forms, which if taken up by a mosquito, can start the cycle over again.