Malaria
Symptoms of malaria can develop as quickly as seven days after you're bitten by an infected mosquito.
Typically, the time between being infected an dwhen symptoms start (incubation period) is 7 to 18 days, depending on the specific parasite you're infected with. However, in some cases it can take up to a year for symptoms to develop.
The initial symptoms of malaria are flu-like and include:
These symptoms are often mild and can sometimes be difficult to identify as malaria.
With some types of malaria, the fever occurs in 48-hour cycles. During these cycles, you feel cold at first with shivering. You then develop a fever, accompanied by severe sweating and fatigue. These symptoms usually last between 6 and 12 hours.
The most serious type of malaria is caused by thePlasmodium falciparum parasite. Without prompt treatment, this type could lead to youquickly developing severe and life-threatening complications, such as breathing problems and organ failure.
Seek medical advice immediately if you develop symptoms of malaria during or after a visit to an area where the disease is found.
You should still seek medical help even if it's several weeks, months or a year after you return from travelling.
Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. If it is not diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single mosquito bite is all it takes for someone to become infected. It's also important to be aware of the symptoms of malaria.
Symptoms of malaria can develop as quickly as seven days after you are bitten by an infected mosquito. Typically, the time between being infected an dwhen symptoms start (incubation period) is 7 to 18 days.
Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite. The parasite can be spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. There are many different types of plasmodium parasite, but only five types cause malaria in humans.
Antimalarial medication is used to prevent and treat malaria. You should always consider taking antimalarial medicine when travelling to areas where there's a risk of malaria.
Malaria is a serious illness that can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly, particularly in pregnant women, babies, young children and the elderly. The Plasmodium falciparum parasite causes the most severe malaria symptoms and most deaths.
There is a significant risk of getting malaria if you travel to an affected area. It is therefore very important that you take precautions to prevent it. Malaria can often be avoided using the ABCD approach to prevention.
Unlike many travellers, Alex Beard was careful to take precautions against getting bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito.