Malaria Symptoms, Complications, and Diagnosis

Symptoms of Uncomplicated Malaria

The classic symptoms of malaria occur as attacks that last 6 to 10 hours. These attacks may recur every two or three days, depending in the specific parasite, and involve:

• An initial stage of feeling cold and shivering
• A second stage involving fever, headaches, and vomiting
• A third and final stage of sweating intensely and feeling tired

Common symptoms of uncomplicated malaria include:

• Fever, sweating, and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Headache and body aches
• General sense of illness or weakness

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Your healthcare provider (or, less commonly, you) may also observe:

• An enlarged spleen or liver
• Increased temperature, heart rate, or breathing rate
• Mild jaundice (yellowing of your eyes and skin)

Complications of Severe Malaria

Some complications of severe malaria include:

Cerebral Malaria This severe neurological complication occurs when infected red blood cells block blood vessels in your brain.

It often first manifests as a seizure, and can progress rapidly to coma or death if left untreated.

Cerebral malaria can cause abnormal behavior, impaired consciousness, or permanent neurological damage including blindness and deafness, especially in children.

Hypoglycemia People with malaria may develop dangerously low blood sugar, especially pregnant women and children.

This complication may be caused by malaria’s interference with the liver’s role in glucose storage, or by quinine, a drug used to treat the disease.

Metabolic Acidosis This complication involves excessive acid in your blood and tissue fluids, and is often seen along with hypoglycemia.

Pulmonary Edema In this complication, fluid accumulates in your lungs and can impair breathing.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) This inflammatory reaction in your lungs can lead to severe breathing difficulties.

ARDS can develop even after your parasite count has gone down in response to treatment.

Abnormalities in Blood Coagulation and Blood Pressure The complications of malaria may not be visible, but they can lead to tissue damage throughout your body.

Hyperparasitemia This complication is defined as more than 5 percent of your red blood cells becoming infected with malaria parasites.

Severe Anemia Destruction of red blood cells can lead to a low count of these cells.