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- What is malaria?
- Symptoms of malaria
- Causes of malaria
- Prevention of malaria
- Risk factors for malaria
- Complications of malaria
- When to see a doctor about malaria
- Diagnosis of malaria
- Conventional treatment of malaria
- Alternative/complementary treatment of malaria
- Living with malaria
- Caring for someone with malaria
Symptoms of malaria fall into two categories: uncomplicated malaria and severe malaria.
Uncomplicated malaria
Uncomplicated malaria generally presents with the following symptoms (which recur every few days):
- Chills
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and pains
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sweating
If the parasite that is causing the infection is P. falciparum the following symptoms may also be present:
- Fast breathing and coughing
- Jaundice
- Liver enlargement
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Severe malaria
Severe malaria is caused when the P. falciparum parasite is causing the infection and the infected person has other serious underlying health conditions. Severe malaria is also very common in people with no previous immunity and in pregnant women and young children.
Symptoms of severe malaria include:
- Cerebral malaria (this is also a complication of malaria)
- Decreased blood platelets, which means decreased ability for the body to stem blood flow and heal from any cuts or other injuries internally
- Fluid build-up in the lungs, which causes breathing difficulties
- Haemoglobin in the urine
- Severe anaemia
- Shock
Other rarer symptoms of severe malaria include:
- Acute kidney failure
- Excessive acidity in the blood and other body tissue fluids
- Hyperparasitaemia - an excessive amount of parasites in the red blood cells
- Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels)
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