Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs) : What Is Malaria?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is malaria?
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a
certain type of mosquito 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 infect
humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. In addition, P. knowlesi, a
type of malaria that naturally infects macaques in Southeast Asia, also infects humans, causing
malaria that is transmitted from animal to human (“zoonotic” malaria). P. falciparum is the type
of malaria that is most likely to result in severe infections and if not promptly treated, may lead
to death. Although malaria can be a deadly disease, illness and death from malaria can usually be
prevented.
About 2,000 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year. The vast majority of
cases in the United States are in travelers and immigrants returning from parts of the world
where malaria transmission occurs, including sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that in 2018, 228 million clinical cases of
malaria occurred, and 405,000 people died of malaria, most of them children in Africa. Because
malaria causes so much illness and death, the disease is a great drain on many national
economies. Since many countries with malaria are already among the poorer nations, the disease
maintains a vicious cycle of disease and poverty.
How People Get Malaria (Transmission)

How is malaria transmitted?
Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only
Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous
blood meal taken from an infected person. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small
amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About 1 week later,
when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and
are injected into the person being bitten.
Because the malaria parasite is found in red blood cells of an infected person, malaria can also be
transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared use of needles or syringes
contaminated with blood. Malaria may also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant
before or during delivery (“congenital” malaria).
Is malaria a contagious disease?
No. Malaria is not spread from person to person like a cold or the flu, and it cannot be sexually
transmitted. You cannot get malaria from casual contact with malaria-infected people, such as
sitting next to someone who has malaria.
Who Is at Risk
Who is at risk for malaria?
Anyone can get malaria. Most cases occur in people who live in countries with malaria
transmission. People from countries with no malaria can become infected when they travel to
countries with malaria or through a blood transfusion (although this is very rare). Also, an
infected mother can transmit malaria to her infant before or during delivery.
Who is most at risk of getting very sick and dying from malaria?
Plasmodium falciparum is the type of malaria that most often causes severe and life-threatening
malaria; this parasite is very common in many countries in Africa south of the Sahara desert.
People who are heavily exposed to the bites of mosquitoes infected with P. falciparum are most
at risk of dying from malaria. People who have little or no immunity to malaria, such as young
children and pregnant women or travelers coming from areas with no malaria, are more likely to
become very sick and die. Poor people living in rural areas who lack access to health care are at
greater risk for this disease. As a result of all these factors, an estimated 90% of deaths due to
malaria occur in Africa south of the Sahara; most of these deaths occur in children under 5 years
of age.
Symptoms and Diagnosis

What are the signs and symptoms of malaria?
Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache,
muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause
anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells.
If not promptly treated, the infection can become severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures,
mental confusion, coma, and death.
How soon will a person feel sick after being bitten by an infected mosquito?
For most people, symptoms begin 10 days to 4 weeks after infection, although a person may feel
ill as early as 7 days or as late as 1 year later. Two kinds of malaria, P. vivax and P. ovale, can
occur again (relapsing malaria). In P. vivax and P. ovale infections, some parasites can remain
dormant in the liver for several months up to about 4 years after a person is bitten by an infected
mosquito. When these parasites come out of hibernation and begin invading red blood cells
(“relapse”), the person will become sick.
How do I know if I have malaria for sure?
Most people, at the beginning of the disease, have fever, sweats, chills, headaches, malaise,
muscles aches, nausea, and vomiting. Malaria can very rapidly become a severe and life-
threatening disease. The surest way for you and your health-care provider to know whether you
have malaria is to have a diagnostic test where a drop of your blood is examined under the
microscope for the presence of malaria parasites. If you are sick and there is any suspicion of
malaria (for example, if you have recently traveled in a country where malaria transmission
occurs), the test should be performed without delay.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How People Get Malaria (Transmission)

Is malaria a contagious disease?

Symptoms and Diagnosis

How do I know if I have malaria for sure?

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