Search results
Feb 9, 2023 · Whether the disease is causing any serious complications. Some blood tests can take several days to complete, while others can produce results in less than 15 minutes. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may order additional diagnostic tests to assess possible complications. Treatment.
Apr 24, 2024 · At a glance. Malaria can be a severe, potentially fatal disease, especially when caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Ensure prompt diagnosis followed by immediate treatment. The treatment regimen depends on infecting plasmodium species, patient's clinical status, drug-resistance status, and previous use of antimalarials.
Mar 25, 2024 · Key points. Malaria is a medical emergency and can become life-threatening if not quickly diagnosed and appropriately treated. Only a healthcare provider can diagnose and treat a patient for malaria. Prescription drugs, available in the U.S., can cure malaria.
- On this page
- Symptoms
- When to see a doctor
- From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
- Causes
- Risk factors
- Complications
- Prevention
- News from Mayo Clinic
•Overview
•Symptoms
•When to see a doctor
•Causes
•Risk factors
•Complications
Signs and symptoms of malaria may include:
•Fever
•Chills
•General feeling of discomfort
•Headache
•Nausea and vomiting
Talk to your doctor if you experience a fever while living in or after traveling to a high-risk malaria region. If you have severe symptoms, seek emergency medical attention.
Request an appointment
Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.
To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.
Mosquito transmission cycle Malaria transmission cycle
Malaria spreads when a mosquito becomes infected with the disease after biting an infected person, and the infected mosquito then bites a noninfected person. The malaria parasites enter that person's bloodstream and travel to the liver. When the parasites mature, they leave the liver and infect red blood cells.
Other modes of transmission
Because the parasites that cause malaria affect red blood cells, people can also catch malaria from exposure to infected blood, including:
The greatest risk factor for developing malaria is to live in or to visit areas where the disease is common. These include the tropical and subtropical regions of:
•Sub-Saharan Africa
•South and Southeast Asia
•Pacific Islands
•Central America and northern South America
The degree of risk depends on local malaria control, seasonal changes in malaria rates and the precautions you take to prevent mosquito bites.
Malaria can be fatal, particularly when caused by the plasmodium species common in Africa. The World Health Organization estimates that about 94% of all malaria deaths occur in Africa — most commonly in children under the age of 5.
Malaria deaths are usually related to one or more serious complications, including:
•Cerebral malaria. If parasite-filled blood cells block small blood vessels to your brain (cerebral malaria), swelling of your brain or brain damage may occur. Cerebral malaria may cause seizures and coma.
•Breathing problems. Accumulated fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema) can make it difficult to breathe.
•Organ failure. Malaria can damage the kidneys or liver or cause the spleen to rupture. Any of these conditions can be life-threatening.
•Anemia. Malaria may result in not having enough red blood cells for an adequate supply of oxygen to your body's tissues (anemia).
If you live in or are traveling to an area where malaria is common, take steps to avoid mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn. To protect yourself from mosquito bites, you should:
•Cover your skin. Wear pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck in your shirt, and tuck pant legs into socks.
•Apply insect repellent to skin. Use an insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency on any exposed skin. These include repellents that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Do not use a spray directly on your face. Do not use products with oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or p-Menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) on children under age 3.
•Apply repellent to clothing. Sprays containing permethrin are safe to apply to clothing.
•Malaria in the US: A Mayo Clinic expert offers insight, tips on prevention
May 18, 2022 · When it bites, the mosquito injects malaria parasites into your bloodstream. Malaria is caused by the parasites, not by a virus or by a type of bacterium. If it isn’t treated, malaria can cause severe health problems such as seizures, brain damage, trouble breathing, organ failure and death.
Apr 1, 2024 · April 1, 2024. Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria. Clinical Guidance: Malaria Diagnosis & Treatment in the U.S. |. PAGE 3 of 9 | ALL PAGES. At a glance. The location where the patient contracted malaria is crucial in guiding appropriate treatment. Different Plasmodium species require different courses of treatment.
Dec 4, 2023 · WHO fact sheet on malaria providing key facts, definition, information on transmission, symptoms, who is at risk, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, insecticide resistance, surveillance, elimination, vaccines and WHO response.
