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Early this month , wellness officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo report thatan unknown , flu - similar illness had stamp out dozensin the country within a few months . The World Health Organization ( WHO ) investigated , alongside local authorities .
Finally , on Tuesday ( Dec. 17 ) , the effort of the sicknesses was annunciate : severe malaria potentially complicate by malnutrition . Reuters coveredthe news , cite a statement from the Congo ’s health ministry that understand , " The mystery has finally been solve . " At the time , the case count was 592 , with the early cases occurring in October .
A microscope image of malaria parasites infecting red blood cells.
But then , on Dec. 19 , a man in the affected region give way with symptom ofhemorrhagic fever , the Associated Press ( AP ) reported . This character of disease is typically induce by computer virus — hint that malaria and malnutrition might not be the only culprits .
As it stands , 37 expiry tied to the " mystery illness " have been corroborate in health precaution facilities , and additionally , 44 deaths document in communities continue under probe , the AP reported . early estimates of the death toll ranged from 67 to 143 .
Live Science spoke with expert about why the driver behind these enigma malady have been so tricky to immobilise down .
Malaria is spread by female mosquitoes in the genusAnopheles.
" It ’s very difficult to say , " saidBenjamin Mordmüller , leader of the experimental medical parasitology mathematical group at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands . " It could be many thing . "
Related : DNA from lots of human skeleton in the closet unravels history of malaria
Challenges to diagnosis
The Congo has a in high spirits relative incidence ofmalaria , a epenthetic disease spread by mosquitoes . In 2022 , the most late year with data , the countryreported over 27 million infectionsand over 24,000 deaths from the disease . For linguistic context , across all of Africa that twelvemonth , there were233 million malaria infectionsand 580,000 deaths .
Although malaria isendemicto the Congo , pinpointing the disease as a culprit in the blossom forth situation is a complicated project .
" It is very difficult to impute a disease like this to malaria , " said Mordmüller , who has carry malaria research and vaccine run in various countries , including Gabon and the Republic of Congo . " In this region , also at this time of the class , many youngster will have malaria parasites in the blood . “On Dec. 10 , WHO Director - GeneralDr . Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusnoted that most of the cases and deaths have affect children under 14 .
Dr. Matthew Ippolito , an associate prof of medical specialty at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute , works in neighbor Zambia and note that , at any sacrifice time , about 50 % of the people in surface area like this are walking around with malaria parasites in their blood .
" But that does n’t mean that they have the symptoms , " Mordmüller add . In position where malaria is very common , many people may not show symptomsbecause they have some level of existing immunity . " So they could have something else , plus leech in the blood . "
To confirm an illness is driven by malaria , you necessitate diagnostic tests to rule out other causes . Clinically , Mordmüller said , symptomatic malaria can look a lot like other disease , such as the flu — induce pyrexia , headache , fatigue and chillsearly on . These nondescript symptoms make tests all the more authoritative .
But asthe WHO noted , " there is no working laboratory in the health zone or state , requiring the collection and shipment of samples to Kinshasa [ the nation ’s uppercase ] for analysis . "
The illnesses are happening in the remote Panzi wellness geographical zone , located within the Kwango province in southwest Congo . Reaching this rural expanse from Kinshasa takes 48 hours by road , and at this clock time of year , the rainy time of year makes the journey more unmanageable . Rain also boost the number of malaria grammatical case by increasing the number of suited habitats for mosquitoes to lay eggs , Mordmüller added .
Complicated cases
The illnesses have been associated with coughs and runny olfactory organ ; coughs are sometimes seen in malaria , but not typically fluid noses . That said , " malaria can predispose you to other infections , " since it strain the immune arrangement ’s resources , Ippolito told Live Science . So the fluid noses may stem from another disease , such as grippe .
In the deathly cases , difficultness breathing and discriminating malnutrition have often been detect .
grave malaria is sometimes assort with " respiratory distress , " but it ’s not always easy to identify the cause in place where even routine lab tests are not readily available , Ippolito said . The belabored breathing may stem from havingtoo much dot in the blood line , due to effects of the malaria sponge , or the parasites may be directly wound lung tissue paper , he said .
The interaction of malnutrition with malaria is poorly understood , both Mordmüller and Ippolito said . Some studies suggest malnutrition may hyperbolize malaria ’s effects , while others hint it suppresses the symptoms . " You ’re not only starving the mortal , but you ’re famish the parasite as well , in a sense , " Ippolito explained . So it ’s complicated .
The Kwango state ’s food insecurity exacerbate between leaping and dip of 2024 , the WHO mark . Also this twelvemonth , much of southern Africa , including the Congo , receive long ironical spells , belike tied toclimate alteration , CNN report . Ippolito wondered how the drought factor into the current malnutrition .
What can be done now?
— Climate change could upend competitiveness against malaria , WHO warns
— Inexpensive new malaria vaccine is a ' vital tool ' to protect tens of millions of multitude
— Should we kill every mosquito on Earth ?
Diagnostic tests and medications are now being transported to the Panzi wellness zona . Factors like circumscribed mobile phone and internet meshwork coverage complicate this drive . But assuming at least some of the diseases are because of malaria , the medical specialty being deployed should aid , Mordmüller said .
Given the case of hemorrhagic fever , though , a yet - unknown computer virus may be another broker to contend with .
In last week ’s address , the WHO Director - General say , " It ’s potential that more than one disease is involved . " Mordmüller and Ippolito repeat similar opinion . Ultimately , meter will tell what the full story is .
