QUESTION Can a severe malaria cause blister to form on a penis or no after a very high fever. ANSWER No. Although malaria is characterized by high fever, it won't cause skin blisters on the genitals. This would more likely be caused by a sexually transmitted infection, and should be seen by a doctor if it persists. … [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...]
Rash and Malaria
QUESTION Is random rash-like swelling on parts of your body coupled with back pains and joint aches and cold sweats all malaria symptom? If so, what is the parasite type and the cure? ANSWER Rashes are not usually associated with malaria infection; the symptoms you describe are however consistent with several other infections, some of which can be quite serious, such as dengue fever. You … [Read more...]
Untreated Malaria
QUESTION If I am infected with malaria and I get a wrong diagnosis and be treated for flu, can the other symptoms disappear but continue to experience severe headache especially on the right side temple and jawbone area combined with general weakness and numbness in the legs? ANSWER Certainly the symptoms of malaria can often be confused with other infections, including flu. Given that … [Read more...]
Is Urticaria a Symptom of Malaria?
QUESTION Is urticaria a symptom of malaria? ANSWER Yes, urticaria, also known as hives, is associated with malaria infection. It is more commonly known from infection with Plasmodium falciparum but has also been reported as accompanying P. vivax infection. … [Read more...]
Dormant Malaria
QUESTION I was bitten by mosquitoes many years ago and I was wondering can the symptoms lie dormant for as long as 40 years? The reason I am asking is that every summer I am ill with several of these symptoms. I do not have a good immune system. ANSWER There are a couple of types of malaria, namely Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale, which can lie dormant for many years, and often … [Read more...]
Malaria and Weight Loss
QUESTION Can malaria make you lose weight? Can malaria cause itching in the body. ANSWER Since malaria is often associated with extreme nausea and high fever, this can often cause people to lose their appetite and not eat properly while they are experiencing infection, leading to weight loss. However malaria is usually quite an acute infection, lasting a few days to at most a few … [Read more...]
Malaria with Liver and Kidney Problems
QUESTION Can someone please tell me what kind of malaria this is. What part of the body it attacks, e.g., cerebral? Patient presenting with liver and kidney "problems". What could these be? ANSWER I am not sure I fully understand your question, but the type of malaria which is associated with cerebral malaria, and also tends to have the most adverse effects on other organs (such as the … [Read more...]
How Long Does it Take for Malaria to Affect the Body?
QUESTION How long does malaria take to actually affect you? ANSWER When you are bitten by a mosquito that is infected with the parasites that cause malaria, some of the parasites enter your blood stream in the mosquito's saliva. After that, it will take at least one week, and usually between two and four weeks, before you start to feel the symptoms of the disease. This is because the … [Read more...]
What is Malaria
QUESTION What is malaria? ANSWER Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite, of the genus Plasmodium, that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito (of the genus Anopheles) which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness. Four kinds of malaria parasites can infect humans: Plasmodium … [Read more...]