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 if your malaria test is negative, then you probably don’t have malaria any more, and you can be confident the treatment worked. It sometimes takes a few days or even a couple of weeks to fully recover from the infection, since it takes quite a toll on the body’s immune system. Also, the medication you take to treat malaria can also have side effects, such as nausea and headaches, which actually seem similar to the symptoms of malaria itself.
i tested positive for malaria and got treated.later when i went for the test again and am negative but am still not feeling fine. what could it be?is it possible to b negative but still carry the infection?
Malaria infection can take quite a strong toll on your body and its immune system, and many people feel weak and not fully improved for days if not weeks after receiving treatment. Similarly, sometimes the medication used to treat malaria can have mild side effects, which are often quite similar to the symptoms of malaria (fever, headache, nausea, aches, etc). If you have been tested and found negative for malaria, then it is almost certain that the reason you are still feeling ill is not because you are still carrying the infection. However, if your symptoms persist, or get worse (particularly if you experience high fever), then it is recommended that you go back and get another malaria test.
i got fever nd weekness then i go to the doctor my malaria report is the ring stage of p.vivax i take artemether and lumafetrime drug which can cure but after ten day fever are return what is this ,is that malaria is return or not plz help malaria return is it posible
You should talk to your doctor about taking primaquine – this is the drug which will kill the dormant forms of P. vivax malaria and prevent the symptoms from returning later.
I tested negative for maleria a week ago, but am feeling very ill, flue like never before, can maleria come alive or be “activated” after testing negative?
Hi Steven, Sorry you are feeling so ill. If you felt ill when you had the test, then most likely you have the flu and not malaria. However, if you are not getting better go see a health professional. If they suspect malaria they will take another test.