QUESTION I am working in Tanzania. I felt sick about 10 days ago and I went for a test for malaria and the test was positive. The doctor gave me some pills and said I must come back in one week for a test again. I went back and it was negative but now I don't feel too good. Is it possible for the malaria to come back after 10 days? ANSWER It is unlikely that the malaria has come back, and … [Read more...]
Paracetamol to Control Fever
QUESTION If I take paracetamol to help control my temperature will it affect my blood test results— can they fail to detect the plasmodium? ANSWER No—taking paracetamol (also called acetaminophen, and sold variously as Tylenol, Panadol and other brand names) is a good way to control your temperature during malaria infection, and it won't affect your blood test results. If you … [Read more...]
Long Term Health Effects of Malaria
QUESTION Ten years ago, at the age of 21, I contracted both forms of malaria. I was severely unwell with falciparum, losing around 15kgs over the course of a week, and I suffered one relapse. I had ongoing vivax for 2 and a half years. I would like to know if there are any known long term complications, or possible health problems I may encounter in the future as a result of having had … [Read more...]
Death from Malaria: Humans and Other Primates
QUESTION If not treated in some form, do most who acquire malaria die? What about primates, such as orangutans that live in the wild and would not be treated as such. Do they die or do they become chronically ill within period of remission? ANSWER That's a really good question, and the answer is: it depends! In humans, the most deadly form of malaria is Plasmodium falciparum—when … [Read more...]
Do Male Mosquitoes Bite?
QUESTION Why do male mosquitoes not bites humans? ANSWER Male mosquitoes do not possess the right kind of feeding apparatus to feed on humans—they only feed on nectar. This is because they do not need to produce eggs, which require lots of energy and protein to make, and so the female mosquitoes need a more comprehensive food source than just nectar when they are egg-laying, such as … [Read more...]
Socio economic conditions surrounding malaria
QUESTION What are the socio economic conditions surrounding malaria? ANSWER Malaria transmission requires the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes; as such, conditions which favor the growth and persistence of these mosquitoes will also be hotspots for malaria transmission, provided the climate is also sufficiently warm for the development of the parasite within the mosquito. Rural areas … [Read more...]
Malaria: Mode of Transmission
QUESTION What is the mode of transmission of Malaria? ANSWER Malaria is transmitted normally via the bite of an infected mosquito. These mosquitoes, always female and of the genus Anopheles, carry malaria parasites in their salivary glands. The parasites, at this part of their life cycle known as sporozoites, are introduced into the host's blood when the mosquito takes a blood meal. From … [Read more...]
Malaria in Vietnam, Thailand, Bali
QUESTION: I am 5 months pregnant and I was thinking about going on holiday to Vietnam, Thailand, or Bali. What is the risk of malaria in this countries? RESPONSE: Malaria transmission occurs in all of the nations you mention, though certain areas within these nations are lower risk. You can find out more about specific regions and local antimalarial resistance patterns at the … [Read more...]
Malaria from Vietnam War
QUESTION: If my husband contracted malaria from serving in the Vietnam War but has never been treated for it, what are the symptoms that he might have experienced in the past that could have been caused by malaria but not diagnosed correctly? Also is it possible that malaria infection could cause any type of birth defects to his children? ANSWER: Most people with primary … [Read more...]
Malaria Fever and Recovery
QUESTION My 21 year old daughter spent 4 months on a study abroad program in Dakar. A week before returning home she started having night fevers and would complain of retrosternal pain and rib and neck and shoulder pain. The next day she would be fine. The episodes came every other day and eventually it occurred to her that it might be malaria. It was evening so she went to a pharmacy for a … [Read more...]