Malaria is caused by parasites that enter your body through the bite of an infected mosquito. This sometimes fatal disease happens in hot and humid places, like Africa.
Where does malaria usually occur?
Malaria occurs all over the world and happens most often in developing countries and areas with warm temperatures and high humidity, including:
- Africa.
- Central and South America.
- Dominican Republic, Haiti and other areas in the Caribbean.
- Eastern Europe.
- South and Southeast Asia.
- Islands in the Central and South Pacific Ocean (Oceania).
Who might get malaria?
Anyone can get malaria, but people who live in Africa have a higher risk of infection than others. Young children, older people and those who are pregnant have an increased risk of dying from malaria. People who live in poverty and don’t have access to healthcare are more likely to have complications from the disease.
More than 90% of malaria deaths occur in Africa, and nearly all of the people who die are young children. More than 80% of malaria deaths in the region in 2020 involved children under the age of 5 years old.
When a mosquito bites someone who has malaria, the mosquito becomes infected. When that mosquito bites someone else, it transfers a parasite to the other person’s bloodstream. There, the parasites multiply. There are five types of malaria parasites that can infect humans.
In rare cases, people who are pregnant and who have malaria can transfer the disease to their children before or during birth.
It’s possible, but unlikely, for malaria to be passed through blood transfusions, organ donations and hypodermic needles.
What are the signs and symptoms of malaria?
Signs and symptoms of malaria are similar to flu symptoms. They include:
- Fever and sweating.
- Chills that shake your whole body.
- Headache and muscle aches.
- Fatigue.
- Chest pain, breathing problems and cough.
- Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
As malaria gets worse, it can cause anemia and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
The most severe form of malaria, which may progress to a coma, is known as cerebral malaria. This type represents about 15% of deaths in children and nearly 20% of adult deaths.
When do symptoms begin if you’re infected with malaria?
Malaria symptoms usually appear 10 days to one month after the person was infected. Depending on the type of parasite, symptoms can be mild. Some people don’t feel sick for up to a year after the mosquito bite. Parasites can sometimes live in the body for several years without causing symptoms.
Some types of malaria, depending on the type of parasite, can occur again. The parasites are inactive in your liver and then are released into your bloodstream after years. The symptoms begin again when the parasites begin circulating.
