Malaria

Malaria is a disease you get from being bitten by a mosquito. Some mosquitoes carry tiny parasites. They can infect you with the parasites when they bite you. Malaria can cause severe illness and death if left untreated. Kids under 5 are more likely to get life-threatening illness. Malaria is most common in tropical areas where it’s hot and humid. Most cases happen in Africa. It’s rare in the U.S. See a healthcare provider right away if you live in or have traveled to an area where malaria spreads and you have symptoms. This is true even if you’ve taken medications to prevent malaria during your trip.

Symptoms of malaria

Symptoms of malaria can be mild to severe. They often start as flu-like symptoms and can get worse. They include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Seizures
• Yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• Dark or bloody pee

Malaria symptoms usually appear several days to a month after you’re infected. Some people don’t feel sick for a year or longer after the mosquito bite.

Malaria causes

Plasmodium parasites cause malaria. There are five types that can infect humans. Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) and Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) are the most common. P. falciparum often causes severe illness.

How do you get malaria?

A mosquito gets the parasitic infection when it bites someone who’s infected. The mosquito then bites you and spreads the infection. The parasite multiplies in your liver and spreads to your bloodstream. There, it can spread to other people if a mosquito bites you. Rarely, malaria can also spread through:

• Pregnancy or childbirth (vertical transmission)
• Blood transfusions
• Organ donations
• Sharing needles

Risk factors

You’re at a higher risk of getting malaria if you live in or travel to areas where it spreads, like parts of Africa. You’re at a higher risk of serious illness and death if you:

• Are younger than 5
• Are pregnant
• Have a weakened immune system
• Don’t have access to healthcare

What countries have malaria?

Malaria is most common in areas with warm temperatures and high humidity, including:

• Africa
• Central and South America
• Dominican Republic, Haiti and other areas in the Caribbean
• Islands in the Central and South Pacific Ocean (Oceania)
• South and Southeast Asia

Complications of malaria

If left untreated, malaria can cause severe complications. These include:

• Blocked blood vessels in your brain (cerebral malaria)
• Coma
• Organ failure

These complications can be fatal.

How doctors diagnose malaria

Healthcare providers test a sample of your blood to diagnose malaria. They’ll look for Plasmodium parasites and identify what type of infection you have. Your provider will use this information to determine the right treatment. It’s important to tell your provider if you’ve traveled within the past year so they know to test for malaria.

How is malaria treated?

Healthcare providers treat malaria with medications that kill the parasite (antimalarial medications). The type of antimalarial medication your provider treats you with depends on:

• Where you were infected — you’re more likely to get drug-resistant infections in certain parts of the world
• The type of Plasmodium causing the infection
• How sick you are
• Whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
• Your age

Medications can cure malaria, but it’s important to start treating it as soon as possible.

Antimalarial drugs

Antimalarial medications kill the Plasmodium parasites. You might receive them in an IV or take them by mouth. They include:

• Artemether-lumefantrine
• Atovaquone-proguanil
• Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine
• Doxycycline, tetracycline or clindamycin
• Mefloquine
• Quinine
• Primaquine
• Tafenoquine

You might receive one or a combination of these. Take all medications as prescribed, even if you start to feel better.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

See a healthcare provider right away if you’ve traveled to or live in a country where malaria is common and you have symptoms. Early diagnosis gives you the best chance for a full recovery.

What can I expect if I have malaria?

Antimalarial medications can cure malaria, especially if started early. You might need to stay at the hospital, at least to start your treatment. Treatment can last for about two weeks, but you might start feeling better in a few days. Let your provider know if you aren’t feeling better or if your symptoms get worse. Sometimes, even after treatment, malaria infections can come back (recur). This happens when the parasite isn’t completely killed by treatment. It can stay in your body without causing symptoms. You can start having symptoms again years after your initial infection and treatment. Medications like primaquine and tafenoquine make this less likely to happen. You can get malaria again, even if you’ve had it before.

Can you prevent malaria?

There are a few ways to reduce your risk of getting and spreading malaria:

• Preventive medications: If you’re traveling to an area where malaria is common, your healthcare provider might prescribe antimalarial medications for you to take before, during and after your stay. If you get malaria while on an antimalarial drug, providers will give you a different medication to treat it.
• Mosquito bite prevention: Wear bug spray with DEET, cover as much skin as possible with clothing, sleep under mosquito netting and take other precautions to avoid getting bitten.
• Vaccination: Public health officials recommend vaccinating against malaria for children who live in areas where infections are common. They’re not currently recommended for travelers.