Malaria Symptoms
There are different species of malarial parasites (Plasmodium) carried by Anopheles mosquitoes, four species of which infect humans. These are Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae.
Symptoms of Malaria
Symptoms of malaria can include fever, chills and shivering, muscular aches and pains, headaches, stomach ache, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, and feelings of lethargy with loss of appetite.
The symptoms of malaria that occur and the length of time it takes for them to show depend on the particular parasite that caused the infection. If left untreated, Plasmodium falciparum infection can be life threatening, while symptoms caused by the other species of Plasmodium are less serious.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from a few days to several months after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms of infection by Plasmodium falciparum often occur within three months, while symptoms of infection from other parasites can take up to a year, sometimes longer. This is because parasites can remain dormant in the liver for many months before becoming active.
Plasmodium Falciparum Infection
If someone has been infected with the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum, further complications can arise which can be fatal. These include severe anaemia, hypoglycaemia, respiratory problems, spontaneous bleeding, jaundice, seizures, shock, liver and kidney failure, a swollen and ruptured spleen, swelling of the brain, paralysis and coma. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum is also known as malignant malaria.
After the first symptoms of malaria develop, if infected by Plasmodium falciparum, severe symptoms can progress very quickly, within days or even hours. Medical attention must be sought as a matter of urgency.
If a person has recently travelled to a malarious region (within the last 12 months) and is experiencing symptoms resembling malaria infection, he or she should seek medical advice at once. This applies even if anti-malaria tablets were taken.
All forms of malaria are curable with the appropriate malaria treatment.