28/05/2022 / Health and Fitness

10 Signs and Symptoms of Malaria

Everything to know about malaria - Signs, symptoms, causes, risk factors, treatment, and prevention of this disease.

10 Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
Keerthana A PKeerthana A P
Keerthana A P
Food Technologist, Engineer & Research Associate
Medically Cited
Fact Checked

Table of content

Introduction 

Malaria is one of the most severe diseases in tropical regions caused by mosquito bites. Malaria disease is caused by the plasmodium species of the female anopheles mosquito. The most prominent symptom of malaria is fever with shaking chills. Malarial deaths are still more common among various groups, especially in south-east Asia and it has to be taken seriously. Though this disease is common, they are more prominent in African countries. In this article, we have discussed the symptoms, causes of transmission, risk of malaria and prevention measures regarding the malarial disease. 

What is malaria? 

Malaria is a life-threatening severe disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria disease is caused by two of the Plasmodium species - Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Though severe malaria can be fatal, it is usually preventable and curable. 

Mosquito Transmission Cycle

The mosquito transmission cycle starts from the body of the mosquito, goes through the blood of humans and transmits to other persons. 

Mosquito Transmission Cycle

Uninfected Mosquito

This is the first stage where the mosquito becomes infected by feeding on the blood of the person who has malaria. The parasites start multiplying in the mouth of the mosquitoes. 

Transmission of the Parasite

While the infected mosquitoes bite you, it injects the parasites into your body. This transmits the malarial parasites into the blood where they can freely propagate. 

In the Liver

When the parasites enter the blood, they enter the liver where they either divide and cause immediate infection or can remain dormant for up to a year. 

Into the BloodStream

When they come out from the dormant stage, they leave the liver in the form of the matured parasites. This is when the early symptoms of malaria show up. 

Transmission to Next Person

If an uninfected mosquito bites you now, it becomes infected and becomes a source of transmitting malarial parasites to others. 

Other than the transmission from infected mosquitoes, malaria can be transmitted through umbilical cords, blood transfusions or by sharing needles. Even Though malaria infects everyone, infants and older adults are particularly vulnerable to developing serious disease symptoms. Also, for the malaria epidemic to end, one needs to focus on maintaining proper health and sanitation. Good hygienic practices are primary for getting rid of malaria. Blood transfusions should be done after proper screening as one improper test can affect everyone. 

How common is malaria?

There are an estimated 241 million cases of malaria and 6,27, 000 deaths worldwide within 2020. The African continent stood out among others by 96% of malarial deaths. 

Cause of Malaria Fever

Malaria is usually caused by the parasite called plasmodium. These parasites are transmitted to humans through the vectors like mosquitoes. The transmission of the disease from mosquitoes to humans occurs in stages as described above in the flowchart. Though there are two prominent species of plasmodium causing malaria, there are four species which can cause severe malaria,

  • Plasmodium vivax

  • Plasmodium ovale

  • Plasmodium malaria

  • Plasmodium falciparum 

Malaria can be transmitted through blood, so it can also be caused by blood transfusions, needle sharing and organ transplants. 

10 Signs and Symptoms of Malaria 

Here are some of the common symptoms of malaria fever, 

1. Fever

2. Chills

3. General feeling of discomfort

4. Headache

5. Nausea and vomiting

6. Diarrhea

7. Abdominal pain

8. Muscle or joint pain

9. Fatigue

10. Rapid Breathing and Cough

The shivers are usually followed by a fever and abnormal sweating. These sequential symptoms of malaria fever when repeated are called malarial ‘attacks.’

Malaria disease symptoms usually begin two weeks after the mosquito bite. However, there are some types of malaria in which the parasites can lie dormant in your body for up to one year. Once infected, malaria takes at least two weeks to recover, if given proper treatment and medications. Among all malaria disease symptoms, the cough would be persistent even if malaria gets cured. Malaria deaths are common in some countries where timely treatment and facilities are not provided. The fatality rate of malaria is very low but timely intervention is needed.  

Risk Factors

Before knowing the home remedies for malaria, let us mention to you some of the risk factors associated with malaria infection. The risk of malaria is higher when you are,

  • Unvaccinated towards malarial vaccines

  • Being unprotected from mosquito bites

  • Living in unhygienic places

  • Being pregnant

  • Being HIV/AIDS positive

  • Children under 5 years of age

Complications

If left untreated or if the sanitation is not maintained, it can be fatal. Malarial deaths are equally less in Southeast Asia but more than 94% in Africa. Here are the complications that can occur due to the serious infections,

Complications

Cerebral Malaria

Cerebral malaria occurs when the parasites block the small blood vessels, which can cause the swelling of the brain or brain damage. This can lead to serious seizures and coma.  

Breathing Problems

Fluids accumulated in the lungs can lead to serious breathing problems. This can cause death if left untreated.  

Organ Failure

Malaria can damage the kidney and liver, causing the rupture of the cells. Organs may fail and cause conditions that can be life-threatening. 

Anaemia

Due to the rupturing of the red blood cells by the malarial parasites, you can catch anaemia. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of your body and causes breathing issues

Low Blood Sugar

Several forms of malaria can cause low blood sugar conditions or hypoglycemia. If there is a steep reduction in the blood sugar level, it can cause coma or death. 

Preventive measures

If there is not enough sanitation in your locality, it is always wise to take precautionary measures to stop the menace of malaria. Here are some of the steps, 

Preventive measures

Cover Your Skin

Reduce the exposed surface of your skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts or skirts. This reduces the probability of getting bitten by the infected mosquitoes. 

Apply Repellents

Apply insect repellents to the skin or clothes which can shoo away the mosquitoes. This keeps you safe from possible infections. 

Sleep Under a Mosquito Nets

Most people get infected while sleeping as you have no control over your body. This is why it is recommended to sleep under mosquito nets. 

Treatment of Malaria

Infection from any Plasmodium species can prove to be serious as malaria can affect the liver. Species like viva and oval can affect the liver more quickly than others. The most common treatments for malaria are hospital admission and medications. People who are having parasites in dormant stages in the liver are prescribed medications at various stages to avoid any future incidence of disease. Also, the WHO organization has recommended the usage of the malaria vaccine in countries that have the highest cases of malaria. Administering these vaccines can make you resilient to infections.

When to See a Doctor

If you are having symptoms of malaria, you should immediately try to get in touch with your doctor. Self-medications can cause complications and you can even run into the risk of getting secondary infections. Symptoms and treatments of malaria should be followed and recorded systematically in your medical reports to treat the future incidence of the disease effectively. 

Take-Home Points

  • Malaria is a tropical disease which is transmitted by the vectors, mosquitoes.

  • Though malaria is curable and preventable, severe malaria can be fatal. 

  • Malaria is transmitted by blood transfusions, sharing needles and also from the umbilical cords. 

  • The common symptoms of malaria are discomfort, fever, chills, diarrhoea, muscle pain, fatigue, rapid breathing and rapid heart rate. 

  • Causes of malaria fever can be mosquito bites, blood transfusions and shared needles. 

  • If left untreated, the disease can develop serious symptoms like cerebral malaria, breathing problems, organ failure, anaemia and low blood sugar level.

  • Prevention of the disease can only be achieved by using mosquito nets, insect repellents and proper sanitary conditions. 


References

FAQ on malaria disease

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