Care and nutrition for malaria patients

Malaria patients need to be taken care of, especially in the diet. In addition to rest and good care, nutrition also plays a very important role in protecting, as well as improving, the patient's condition to help the patient recover faster.

Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases and a very serious public health problem. The disease is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is passed from person to person when they are bitten by a mosquito.
Everyone can get malaria. Immunity to malaria is incomplete and short, so re-infection is possible. There is no cross-immunity, so a person can be infected with two or three other malaria parasites simultaneously.
With proper treatment and care, people with malaria can usually make a full recovery. However, severe malaria can progress extremely quickly and cause death within hours or days. For most severe cases, special care and treatment is required to avoid dangerous complications.
Malaria in children causes blood loss and direct brain damage and carries a risk of neurological and cognitive impairment, behavioral disturbances and seizures.

People with malaria often have typical symptoms such as high fever, chills, sweating, diarrhea. Therefore, patient care must be based on symptoms.
Avoid letting mosquitoes continue to bite sick people: The most basic thing in caring for people with malaria is to avoid mosquitoes biting sick people to limit the transmission of the disease to the community. Antipyretic: When the temperature is over 39 degrees Celsius, the patient is easily irritated, struggling, delirious, vomiting... Children have convulsions. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce fever by measures such as loosening clothes, lying in a cool place, wiping with a warm towel... When the fever is too high above 40 degrees Celsius, paracetamol can be used to reduce fever. Prevention of anemia : When fever persists, especially pregnant women and children. Anemia in people with malaria is usually caused by a decrease in red blood cells and hemoglobin) due to broken red blood cells, iron metabolism disorders, and malnutrition. Therefore, when suffering from malaria, it is necessary to supplement with iron, strengthen vitamins, especially vitamin A, drugs with Zn (zinc, which helps in iron metabolism) and folic acid. When patients with severe anemia need a blood transfusion.

Avoid dehydration: People with malaria often have a high fever, profuse sweating and especially diarrhea, so it is necessary to drink enough water during treatment and care. Water also works to remove toxins more easily and faster from the body. You can replace filtered water with cooled boiled water mixed with hydride or oresol to replace electrolytes. Rest during disease treatment: During the course of treatment and recovery, patients need to rest a lot, do not be too active, because anti-malarial drugs cause different side effects. Hygiene: Patients need to clean their teeth, body, bed and pillow regularly; wear cool clothes. Place of residence: The patient's place should be clean, the room well ventilated, and ensure adequate air circulation.

Nutrition also plays a very important role in protecting and improving the body to help people with malaria recover more quickly so as not to harm other organs such as kidneys, liver or digestive system. chemical. So what to eat when you have a fever? Accordingly, patients should eat according to the following diet:
Nutrient rich foods: When suffering from malaria, the patient's body will have a weakened immune system, so a nutritious food diet will help people. The disease has good resistance against bacteria. The foods to eat include: green vegetables (tomatoes, spinach, water spinach, cruciferous vegetables, amaranth... processed in the form of boiled or cooked soup); seaweed (the effect of regulating the intestines and promoting the proliferation of red blood cells); taro, sweet potato... (contains a lot of vitamin C to help absorb minerals and promote red blood cell production); seafood (high in iron, vitamins B12, A, C, healthy blood and liver).
Increase protein: Protein-rich foods include: Milk and dairy products, apples, avocados, nuts (cashew, almonds, walnuts,...), meat (poultry meat, etc.) , beef).
Supplement with vitamin C: When you have malaria, you should eat fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits... because they contain a lot of vitamin C, which helps increase resistance and replenish water for the body.
Eat liquid and soft foods: Soup, pho, thin and soft foods that are easy to swallow, so cooked with chicken, pork, and beef will contribute to helping patients supplement nutrition for the body and limit difficulties. bear.

When suffering from malaria, patients should limit:
Eating too much fat: Using too much fat will increase the risk of nausea, indigestion and loose stools
Chicken eggs: Eggs increase body temperature body, so people with malaria should not eat.
Alcohol, tea, caffeine and cold water: These foods damage the liver leading to a weakened immune system. Drinking cold water causes sore throat.
Spicy, hot foods: Spicy spices, spicy foods increase body heat, so people with fever should limit hot spicy foods.
To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE
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