Malaria
Malaria is an infection caused by Plasmodium parasites passed on through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It remains a real risk in tropical climates, where warm, wet conditions keep mosquito numbers high. Symptoms usually appear a week or more after infection and often start as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and tiredness that can be mistaken for flu.
Key points
- The parasite responsible is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and typically causes fever, chills, headache and body aches resembling flu.
- Because resistance to some medicines varies by where the infection was caught, the antiparasitic treatment chosen depends on that history.
- Diagnosis is confirmed through a blood test, and finishing the full treatment matters even after symptoms start to improve.
Treating and preventing malaria
Malaria is treated and, in many cases, prevented with antiparasitic medicines that target the parasite in the bloodstream. Chloroquine is one long-standing option, used against parasite strains that still respond to it; the right choice depends on where infection was picked up, since resistance patterns vary by area. Fever that starts during or after travel in a malaria area should be checked quickly, as the illness can become serious within days. A blood test confirms the diagnosis, and finishing the full course matters even once you feel better.
Further reading
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