How long is the incubation period?
7–30 days
The incubation period of malaria is a minimum of seven days; if fever occurs before the seventh day following exposure in an endemic region, it is most likely not due to malaria.
Describe the course of infection.
Infection → asymptomatic parasitemia → uncomplicated illness → severe malaria → death
Asymptomatic parasitemia: Especially in endemic regions, cases of asymptomatic plasmodia carriers are reported. [15]
Infections with P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae typically have milder symptoms, involve fewer organs (CNS or gastrointestinal symptoms are rare), and have a markedly lower risk of causing severe malaria. [16]
Following the successful treatment of tertian malaria, dormant P. ovale or P. vivax forms (hypnozoites) may remain in the liver and can cause relapse after months or even years.
List general symptoms.
Flu‑like symptoms, headache
Diaphoresis
High fever: Fever spikes occurring at regular intervals are no longer commonly observed.
Tertian malaria: periodic fever spikes every 48 hrs
Quartan malaria: periodic fever spikes every 72 hrs
Malignant tertian malaria (associated with falciparum malaria): irregular fever spikes without a noticeable rhythm
List organ-specific symptoms.
Blood
Thrombocytopenia: increased bleeding risk
Hemolytic anemia: weakness, paleness, dizziness
Gastrointestinal
Nausea, vomiting
Diarrhea, abdominal pain
Liver: hepatosplenomegaly, discrete jaundice
CNS: hallucinations, confusion, impaired consciousness, seizures, coma
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