The classic signs of malaria infection include fever, chills, sweating, and fatigue. Other symptoms can also develop, depending on the patient's general level of health and which species of malaria parasite is responsible for the infection. People can start to see signs within a week of infection in some cases, and in others, it may take as long as 10 months for the symptoms to start developing. Patients who live or have recently traveled in areas with endemic malaria should receive evaluation for malaria infection if they develop symptoms.
Malaria is a blood infection with a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Notoriously, it tends to be cyclical in nature. Patients will experience a flareup and then return to normal health, with the time between flareups varying. In addition to the symptoms listed above, other common signs of malaria include nausea and vomiting, headache, muscle pain, an enlarged spleen, and a dry cough. This condition can lead to breakdown of red blood cells, causing anemia, bloody urine, and jaundice.
In some patients, signs of malaria can also involve the brain. This condition has been known to cause brain damage, resulting in convulsions, retinal damage, and the development of cognitive impairments. Especially in children, malaria can be very dangerous and may cause lifelong disabilities, depending on which parasite is responsible and how aggressively it is treated. Children with malaria can also develop an awkward posture, evidence of damage in the motor neurons of the central nervous system.
Medications are available to treat people with the signs of malaria and to provide continuing care over the patient's lifetime. People with this parasitic infection receive the best outcomes if they are treated as early as possible in the progress of the infection. There are also steps people can take to reduce the risk of developing malaria, including taking prophylactic drugs, sleeping under mosquito nets, and using bug repellent to keep insects away from the body.
In equatorial regions of the world, malaria is a well documented, common condition. Outside these areas, it is unusual. Patients who develop signs of malaria when they have recently traveled should make sure their doctors know, as malaria may not be considered as a diagnosis if a doctor thinks a patient could not possibly have been exposed. Patients planning on traveling can meet with their doctors to discuss options for prophylaxis and other measures they can take to reduce their risks while traveling.
