Malaria

What is malaria?
Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an

infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito
bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream.
Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days,
the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells.
Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to
burst open.
The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two
to three days at a time.
Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The World
Health Organization (WHO) states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in
91 countries.
What causes malaria?
Malaria can occur if a mosquito infected with the Plasmodium parasite bites you. There are four kinds of
malaria parasites that can infect humans: Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. falciparum.
P. falciparum causes a more severe form of the disease and those who contract this form of malaria
have a higher risk of death. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her baby at birth. This is
known as congenital malaria.
Malaria is transmitted by blood, so it can also be transmitted through:
 an organ transplant
 a transfusion
 use of shared needles or syringes
What are the symptoms of malaria?
The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to 4 weeks following the infection. In
some cases, symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter
the body but will be dormant for long periods of time.
Common symptoms of malaria include:
 shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe

 high fever
 profuse sweating
 headache
 nausea
 vomiting
 abdominal pain
 diarrhea
 anemia
 muscle pain
 convulsions
 coma
 bloody stools
How is malaria diagnosed?
Your doctor will be able to diagnose malaria. During your appointment, your doctor will review
your health history, including any recent travel to tropical climates. A physical exam will also be
performed.
Your doctor will be able to determine if you have an enlarged spleen or liver. If you have
symptoms of malaria, your doctor may order additional blood tests to confirm your diagnosis.
These tests will show:
 whether you have malaria

 what type of malaria you have
 if your infection is caused by a parasite that’s resistant to certain types of drugs
 if the disease has caused anemia
 if the disease has affected your vital organs
Life-threatening complications of malaria
Malaria can cause a number of life-threatening complications. The following may occur:
 swelling of the blood vessels of the brain, or cerebral malaria

 an accumulation of fluid in the lungs that causes breathing problems, or pulmonary edema
 organ failure of the kidneys, liver, or spleen
 anemia due to the destruction of red blood cells
 low blood sugar
How is malaria treated?
Malaria can be a life-threatening condition, especially if you’re infected with the parasite P. falciparum.
Treatment for the disease is typically provided in a hospital. Your doctor will prescribe medications
based on the type of parasite that you have.
In some instances, the medication prescribed may not clear the infection because of parasite resistance
to drugs. If this occurs, your doctor may need to use more than one medication or change medications
altogether to treat your condition.
Additionally, certain types of malaria parasites, such as P. vivax and P. ovale, have liver stages where the
parasite can live in your body for an extended period of time and reactivate at a later date causing a
relapse of the infection.
If you’re found to have one of these types of malaria parasites, you’ll be given a second medication to
prevent a relapse in the future.
What’s the long-term outlook for people with malaria?
People with malaria who receive treatment typically have a good long-term outlook. If complications
arise as a result of malaria, the outlook may not be as good. Cerebral malaria, which causes swelling of
the blood vessels of the brain, can result in brain damage.
The long-term outlook for patients with drug-resistant parasites may also be poor. In these patients,
malaria may recur. This may cause other complications.
Tips to prevent malaria
There’s no vaccine available to prevent malaria. Talk to your doctor if you’re traveling to an area where
malaria is common or if you live in such an area. You may be prescribed medications to prevent the
disease.
These medications are the same as those used to treat the disease and should be taken before, during,
and after your trip.
Talk to your doctor about long-term prevention if you live in an area where malaria is common. Sleeping
under a mosquito net may help prevent being bitten by an infected mosquito. Covering your skin or
using bug sprays containing DEET] may also help prevent infection.
If you’re unsure if malaria is prevalent in your area, the CDC has an up-to-date mapTrusted Source of
where malaria can be found.
5 sources collapsed.
What is the pathogenesis of malaria?
After a mosquito takes a blood meal, the malarial sporozoites enter hepatocytes (liver phase)
within minutes and then emerge in the bloodstream after a few weeks. These merozoites rapidly
enter erythrocytes, where they develop into trophozoites and then into schizonts over a period
of days (during the erythrocytic phase of the life cycle). Rupture of infected erythrocytes
containing the schizont results in fever and merozoite release. The merozoites enter new red
cells, and the process is repeated, resulting in a logarithmic increase in parasite burden.

Malaria

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Malaria

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What is malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an

What causes malaria?

Malaria is transmitted by blood, so it can also be transmitted through:

What are the symptoms of malaria?

Common symptoms of malaria include:

 shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe

How is malaria diagnosed?

These tests will show:

 whether you have malaria

Life-threatening complications of malaria

 swelling of the blood vessels of the brain, or cerebral malaria

What’s the long-term outlook for people with malaria?

Tips to prevent malaria

What is the pathogenesis of malaria?

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