Malaria

Summary

Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite. You get it when an infected mosquito bites you. Malaria is a major cause of death worldwide, but it is almost wiped out in the United States. The disease is mostly a problem in developing countries with warm climates. If you travel to these countries, you are at risk. There are four different types of malaria caused by four related parasites. The most deadly type occurs in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

Malaria symptoms include chills, flu-like symptoms, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice. A blood test can diagnose it. It can be life-threatening. However, you can treat malaria with drugs. The type of drug depends on which kind of malaria you have and where you were infected.

Malaria can be prevented. When traveling to areas where malaria is found:

• See your doctor for medicines that protect you
• Wear insect repellent with DEET
• Cover up
• Sleep under mosquito netting

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Statistics and Research

• About Malaria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Choosing a Drug to Prevent Malaria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Mefloquine (Lariam) Department of Veterans Affairs

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Malaria National Institutes of Health

Treatments and Therapies

• Counterfeit and Substandard Antimalarial Drugs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Malaria Treatment (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Malaria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Malaria National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Malaria American Academy of Family Physicians

Patient Handouts

• Malaria Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Malaria (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Related Issues

• Malaria and Travelers Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Diagnosis and Tests

• Malaria Tests National Library of Medicine

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• World Health Organization World Health Organization

Journal Articles

• Malaria