If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Malaria is a life-threatening disease. 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 , there were an estimated million cases of malaria in 91 countries.
Most cases of malaria develop in people who travel to countries where malaria is more common. Read more: Learn about the relationship between cytopenia and 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. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her baby at birth. This is known as congenital 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. There are many different types of Plasmodia parasites, but only 5 cause malaria in people. The Plasmodium parasite is mainly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which mainly bite at dusk and at night. When an infected mosquito bites a person, it passes the parasites into the bloodstream. Malaria can also be spread through blood transfusions and the sharing of needles, but this is very rare.
Read more about the causes of malaria and how it's spread. Malaria is not found in the UK — it may be diagnosed in travellers who return to the UK from risk areas. The TravelHealthPro website has more information about the risk of malaria in specific countries.
Many cases of malaria can be avoided. An easy way to remember is the ABCD approach to prevention:. Speak to your GP if you're planning to visit an area where there's a malaria risk. It may be recommended that you take antimalarial tablets to prevent infection.
If malaria is diagnosed and treated promptly, virtually everyone will make a full recovery. Treatment should be started as soon as the diagnosis has been confirmed.
Rarely, malaria can pass from person to person — from mother to child in "congenital malaria," or through blood transfusion, organ donation, or shared needles. Early symptoms of malaria can include irritability and drowsiness, with poor appetite and trouble sleeping. These symptoms are usually followed by chills, and then a fever with fast breathing.
Then, as the fever ends and the person's body temperature quickly returns to normal, there is an intense episode of sweating. The same pattern of symptoms — chills, fever, sweating — may repeat every 2 or 3 days, depending on which malaria parasite is causing the infection. Other symptoms include headache, nausea, aches and pains all over the body especially the back and abdomen , and an abnormally large spleen. If malaria affects the brain, someone might have seizures or loss of consciousness.
The kidneys can also be affected in some cases. Worldwide, hundreds of millions of people are infected with malaria each year. Most cases are in sub-Saharan Africa. Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe are also affected by malaria. Accessed Oct. Bennett JE, et al.
Malaria plasmodium species. Elsevier; Accessed Dec. Merck Manual Professional Version. Brunette GW, et al. Oxford University Press; Breman JG. Clinical manifestations of malaria in nonpregnant adults and children. Daily J. Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in nonpregnant adults and children. World malaria report World Health Organization. Sanchez L, et al. NPJ Vaccines.
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