What should you know about malaria?

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infection that needs prompt testing and treatment, especially after travel to a risk area. Fever, chills, headache, sweating, and muscle aches can occur, but symptoms vary and may begin after you return home.

Malaria parasites enter the bloodstream through the bite of an infected mosquito and multiply inside red blood cells. A malaria infection can cause fever and chills as affected cells break down. Some forms can progress to illness involving the brain, kidneys, lungs, or blood, so a recent journey or residence in an affected region matters when symptoms are assessed.

Tell a clinician about every country or region you visited, when you travelled, mosquito bites, prevention tablets, and when symptoms began. Arrange urgent testing if you have fever or feel unwell after possible exposure; a blood test may need clinical interpretation and sometimes repeat assessment. Take antimalarial treatment exactly as prescribed and complete the plan even if symptoms improve. Future travellers should arrange a travel health consultation before departure.

Seek emergency care for confusion, fainting, seizures, severe weakness, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, inability to drink, or a rapidly worsening fever. Do not wait for symptoms to follow a pattern: malaria can worsen quickly, and fever after travel to a malaria area deserves prompt medical assessment.

Ask whether your travel history requires malaria testing, which symptoms need emergency action, how results will be followed, which treatment is suitable, and what prevention plan fits your next trip.