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The CDC Says That If You Have A Mystery Fever This Summer, There's A Chance It Could Be Malaria

CDC

Malaria is circulating again in the US this summer. Five local cases have been diagnosed in Florida and Texas.

It's easy to prevent and treat, but isn't typically on the radar of doctors in the US.

The CDC is cautioning providers to be on the lookout for unexplained fevers.

Malaria is circulating again in the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said five cases of locally acquired malaria have been detected so far this summer — four in Florida, and one in Texas.

The cases are striking as malaria was declared eradicated from US shores in 1951 — though rare cases have been seen locally in the years since, most recently in 2003, when a cluster of eight people caught malaria in Palm Beach, Florida.

Typically, the approximately 2,000 people who are diagnosed with malaria in the US each year have recently traveled to a place in the world where the disease regularly circulates.

But something unusual must have happened this summer — travelers who came back from places in the world where malaria is more common got the disease, and were then bitten by mosquitoes in Texas and Florida. Then, those same mosquitoes, carrying malaria parasites, flew away and bit other people, causing local transmission.

"There's a lot more people who are traveling now, post-COVID, and going to areas where malaria is endemic," Dr. Jill Weatherhead, a tropical medicine expert at Baylor College of Medicine, told Insider.

The cases are unusual and numerous enough that the CDC sent out an emergency health alert earlier this week to notify doctors of the uptick. The CDC is asking doctors to "consider a malaria diagnosis in any person with a fever of unknown origin regardless of their travel history."

Malaria can be deadly, but symptoms may start out like the flu 

A poster from the 1920's, advocating for malaria prevention with bug repellent.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Symptoms of malaria are often "nonspecific" Weatherhead said, and can look a lot like the flu.

"Fever, myalgias (muscle aches), headaches, fatigue," are some of the most common symptoms, she said. "Healthcare providers may not think of it as a potential diagnosis in a person who hasn't traveled."

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The good news is that malaria is very quickly and effectively treated with prescription drugs. The type of malaria being diagnosed in the US, caused by Plasmodium vivax, is not one of the more deadly forms of the disease. Another malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which is typically found in sub-Saharan Africa, is the most dangerous of the five species.

But there is still a risk that the vivax parasite can lie dormant in the liver and relapse in months or years, which is why Weatherhead recommends patients take a "secondary medication" to nix any dormant parasites.

How to prevent malaria

Weatherhead said there are a few key prevention measures everyone can practice to avoid catching malaria, both in the US and abroad:

Try not to get bit by mosquitoes, especially around dusk and at nighttime when the anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit malaria, are most active. Wear long sleeves or long pants, and use bug spray.

Get rid of standing water outside your home where mosquitoes can breed. Keep trash lids closed, empty dog dishes and other open containers of water outside at night, and generally make sure you aren't providing extra opportunities for mosquito breeding grounds to thrive.

Take antimalarial medicine if you're traveling to an area of the world where malaria is endemic. Drugs like Malarone and doxycycline can be prescribed at travel clinics.

Malaria researcher Jim Kublin, a global health and vaccine research expert at Fred Hutch, said he hopes this is an opportunity to "raise awareness to the significant burden of malaria that exists worldwide."

Malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people, mostly children, every year. And anywhere that is hot and tropical year-round, like Florida, there is an increased possibility for malaria transmission to occur.

"In the US, I think control is relatively easy compared to countries where it's highly endemic," Kubin said. "If you detect early and treat quickly, people will not be transmitting to the mosquito that will then transmit to other people."

Read the original article on Insider

Mystery Fever This Summer Could Be Sign Of Malaria, CDC Says

Cases of malaria are resurfacing in the U.S. This summer, and an unexplained fever could be one of the symptoms.

Five cases have been diagnosed in the U.S. Recently, four in Florida and one in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The cases are notable given that malaria had been eradicated in the U.S. Since 1951. However, rare local cases were spotted in 2003, when eight people contracted the disease in Palm Beach, Fla.

Typically, if people in the U.S. Are diagnosed with malaria, it is because they have traveled outside the country to a place where the disease is common, according to the CDC.

But transmission occurred differently in the most recent cases. Local mosquitoes bit carriers of the disease, who were infected while traveling overseas, and then, passed malaria on to residents in Texas and Florida.

Although malaria is easily preventable and treatable, it is not often on U.S. Doctors' radars.

The unusual cases raised so much alarm that the CDC sent out an emergency health alert this week to notify physicians.

The CDC is specifically asking doctors to check for malaria, if "a person has a fever of an unknown origin regardless of their travel history."

Other symptoms of malaria include flu-like symptoms ranging from muscle aches, headaches and fatigue.

There are several things you can do to avoid catching malaria either in the U.S. Or abroad:

Avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Use bug spray and wear long-sleeved shirts and pants at dusk and nighttime.

Remove any puddles of standing water outside your home that can attract mosquitoes and allow them to breed.

Take antimalarial medicine when traveling to areas of the world where malaria is an endemic disease.

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These Are The 5 Foods To Eat To Reduce Hay Fever Symptoms—Including Cheese

You know the signs—runny nose, non-stop sneezing and red itchy eyes. It's uncomfortable, but one in four Americans now suffer from hay fever and seasonal allergies.

A reaction to pollen or indoor allergens such as dust mites and animal dander, hay fever is almost impossible for sufferers to avoid. But whether your hay fever is a seasonal issue or a year-round struggle, few people know that your diet can help keep symptoms under control.

"Hay fever causes inflammation," Dr. Purvi Parikh, an immunologist for the Allergy & Asthma Network, told Newsweek. "But certain foods can decrease inflammation and improve symptoms."

A stock photo of a woman suffering from pollen allergy. Although environmental allergens cause hay fever, your diet can help manage your symptoms. IStock / Getty Images

Hay fever is an allergic reaction, meaning your diet can't fully prevent a flare-up. However, certain foods and drinks can make symptoms worse.

"Avoiding a diet high in inflammatory foods, such as junk food, processed food, fast food, alcohol and sugar can help with allergy and hay fever symptoms," Parikh said.

While removing certain foods from your diet can help mitigate symptoms, others can strengthen your immune system, lessening the reaction.

"Eating certain foods will boost your immune system," Dr. Joon Lee, CEO of SeeBeyond Medicine, told Newsweek. "These include foods rich in quercetin, vitamin C and others with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties."

We asked Parikh and Lee for the best foods to fight hay fever and mitigate seasonal allergy symptoms.

Foods Containing Quercetin

Quercetin is a plant pigment found in many fruits and vegetables, along with red wine and green tea. According to Lee, quercetin-containing foods such as apple, berries, cherries, broccoli, kale, garlic and onions work similarly to antihistamines.

Quercetin has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, according to WebMD. There is research to suggest that it may prevent heart disease, cancer and help to lower cholesterol, while some studies indicate that quercetin can stabilize the cells that release histamine, which could help to control hay fever symptoms. However, research of quercetin's effect on human health is currently limited.

A stock photo of two yogurt pots topped with oats and berries. Both yogurt and berries can help manage hay fever symptoms. Jenifoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Netflix Yogurt and Cheese

Parikh recommends probiotic-rich food such as yogurt, certain cheeses (such as Swiss, provolone, Gouda and cheddar) and fermented items such as kefir (a beverage fermented from cow's milk), sauerkraut and tempeh (cooked fermented soybeans often used as a meat substitute).

Also known as "good bacteria," probiotics are live microorganisms that are believed to help balance the microbiome in your stomach and intestines. The microbiome designate the complex network of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in our bodies.

This can improve your digestive health, but probiotics are also believed to help improve depression and heart health as well as strengthen your immune system, which would help to mitigate hay fever symptoms.

Pineapple

This tropical fruit contains an enzyme called bromelain, which can help relieve sinus inflammation.

"Some studies show that it helps allergies and asthma," said Parikh.

A stock photo of a woman cutting up a pineapple on a kitchen counter. Pineapple contains bromelain, which can help clear your airways and make breathing easier. CentralITAlliance/iStock/Getty Images Plus Citrus Fruits

Fortunately, many of summer's most popular fruits also fight hay fever.

"Vitamin C's immune-boosting properties will help," said Lee. "Increase the amount of citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, bell peppers and cruciferous vegetables that you are eating."

Turmeric and Ginger

Studies show that ginger has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It has been used throughout history to calm diarrhea and vomiting and fight infection. While turmeric contains curcumin, a natural compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

"You can boil them up together and drink them as a tea," suggested Lee. "Then chill the tea bags and put them on your tired swollen eyes."

Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.Com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

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