Malaria
What is Malaria?
Malaria is a serious infection caused by parasites called Plasmodium. These parasites enter your bloodstream when an infected female Anopheles mosquito bites you. The parasites then travel to your liver and multiply before returning to attack your red blood cells.
When the parasites destroy your red blood cells, they cause fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms. Malaria remains a major health concern in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. More than 200 million cases occur globally each year. While rare in the United States, travelers to affected regions face real risk.
Early detection through blood testing is critical for successful treatment. Without prompt care, malaria can become life-threatening within days. The good news is that malaria is both preventable and treatable when caught early.
Symptoms
Malaria symptoms typically appear 10 to 15 days after an infected mosquito bite. Common symptoms include:
- High fever that comes and goes in cycles
- Severe chills and shaking
- Heavy sweating
- Headache and body aches
- Fatigue and weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, known as jaundice
- Dark or bloody urine
Some people may have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all in early stages. This makes blood testing essential for anyone who has traveled to malaria-risk areas and feels unwell.
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Causes and risk factors
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Five species of Plasmodium can infect humans, with P. falciparum and P. vivax being the most common. When an infected mosquito bites you, it injects the parasites into your bloodstream. The parasites multiply in your liver before releasing back into your blood to attack red blood cells.
Risk factors include traveling to or living in tropical and subtropical regions where malaria is common. These areas include sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central and South America. Not using mosquito nets, lacking access to preventive medications, and being outdoors during evening hours increase exposure risk. Young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe disease.
How it's diagnosed
Malaria is diagnosed through blood tests that detect the parasites in your bloodstream. A malaria parasite test looks for the actual parasites under a microscope or uses rapid diagnostic methods. Blood tests may also show elevated bilirubin levels and increased urine urobilinogen, which occur when parasites destroy your red blood cells.
Rite Aid offers testing to help detect malaria and monitor related biomarkers. If you have traveled to a malaria-risk area and develop fever or flu-like symptoms, getting tested quickly is critical. Early diagnosis allows for prompt treatment and prevents complications. Your doctor may repeat tests during treatment to ensure the parasites are clearing from your blood.
Treatment options
Malaria treatment depends on the parasite species, disease severity, and where you contracted the infection. Treatment options include:
- Antimalarial medications such as chloroquine, artemisinin-based combination therapies, or atovaquone-proguanil
- Intravenous medications for severe cases requiring hospitalization
- Supportive care including fluids, fever management, and monitoring for complications
- Prevention medications before traveling to malaria-risk areas
- Mosquito bite prevention using insect repellent, long sleeves, and treated bed nets
- Staying in screened or air-conditioned rooms when possible
- Avoiding outdoor activities during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active
See a doctor immediately if you develop fever or flu-like symptoms during or after travel to malaria-risk areas. Even if you took preventive medications, you can still get malaria. Quick treatment prevents serious complications and saves lives.
Concerned about Malaria? Get tested at Rite Aid.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Symptoms typically appear 10 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. However, some parasite types can remain dormant in your liver for months or even years before causing symptoms. This is why you should tell your doctor about any travel to malaria-risk areas, even if it was weeks or months ago.
Malaria is extremely rare in the United States. Most cases occur in travelers returning from countries where malaria is common. Local transmission can happen very rarely when an infected traveler is bitten by a local mosquito that then bites someone else. The U.S. eliminated malaria as an endemic disease in the early 1950s.
A malaria parasite test is the primary diagnostic tool. This test looks for the parasites in your blood under a microscope or uses rapid diagnostic methods. Blood tests may also show elevated bilirubin and increased urine urobilinogen, which happen when parasites destroy red blood cells. Multiple tests over several days may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Malaria is not spread through casual contact with infected people. You cannot catch it from touching, kissing, or being near someone with malaria. The infection spreads only through mosquito bites, contaminated blood transfusions, shared needles, or from mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth.
Antimalarial medications are the primary treatment. Your doctor chooses medications based on the parasite type, disease severity, and where you got infected. Treatment must start quickly to prevent serious complications. Severe cases may require hospitalization and intravenous medications.
Yes, some malaria parasites can hide in your liver and cause symptoms to return weeks or months after initial treatment. This is called a relapse and is most common with P. vivax and P. ovale infections. Your doctor may prescribe additional medications to kill dormant liver parasites and prevent relapse.
Untreated malaria can quickly become life-threatening. Complications include severe anemia from destroyed red blood cells, organ failure, brain damage, and death. P. falciparum malaria is particularly dangerous and can progress to severe disease within hours. This is why immediate medical care is critical for anyone with possible malaria exposure.
Yes, if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area, talk to your doctor about preventive medications. These medications reduce your risk of infection when combined with mosquito bite prevention. Your doctor will recommend specific medications based on your destination, travel duration, and medical history. Start medications before travel as directed.
Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin. Wear long sleeves and pants, especially during evening hours when mosquitoes are most active. Sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets and stay in screened or air-conditioned rooms when possible.
The fever cycles match the parasite life cycle in your blood. Parasites multiply inside red blood cells for 24 to 72 hours depending on the species. When infected cells burst open to release new parasites, your immune system responds with fever and chills. This pattern repeats as new waves of parasites infect more red blood cells.