Article: Malaria is caused by Plasmodium, a single-celled parasite often transmitted by infected mosquitoes.  The parasite is injected into a person’s circulatory system through the saliva of the mosquito. It then travels to the liver where it will mature and reproduce. When the plasmodium matures, it will infect red blood cells until they burst. Then, newly developed Plasmodium from the red blood cells will spread, and infect more red blood cells. In most cases, the manifestations of malaria will begin 8-25 days after the mosquito bite. However, those who have taken prophylaxis (medication to prevent infection) may have an extended incubation period.  When the infected red blood cells spread throughout the body, the cells will eventually die off. This can lead to severe liver infection. Sometimes the infected red blood cells become "stickier" than usual and clot easily, which can lead to stoppage of blood flow to the brain. The severity of the signs and symptoms of malaria may depend upon three factors: the type of malaria, your immune system, and health of your spleen. There are 5 types of malaria. These include P. Vivax, P. Malaria, P. Ovale, P. Falciparum, and P. Knowlesi. The spleen is the graveyard of your red blood cells.  During a malaria infection, red blood cells rapidly die, and the spleen may not be able to keep up with the demand, leading to sepsis and organ failure. Notice an enlarged spleen, which can happen when the spleen is overwhelmed by the amount of dead red blood cells and becomes unnaturally enlarged. High fever is very common in malaria patients.  The temperature may reach as high as 40 °C (104 °F). Fever is a systemic immune response of the body, that works to suppress bacterial growth. Fever is often accompanied by chills, which allows the muscles to burn calories and increase your body temperature. This may also include sweating. Because malaria has non-specific symptoms, it may be more difficult to diagnose when it occurs in an uncommon country, such as the US.  Your health and travel history will be assessed to determine if you have traveled to a malarial country. Get a physical examination. Although the physical findings might not be specific, they will be used to make a preliminary diagnosis of malaria.  Get a blood film done. Your doctor will take a drop of blood and place it in a microscopic slide. The blood will be stained to make the blood cells visible under the microscope. Your doctor will analyze the film to see if there are visible plasmodium parasites. Two or more tests are required within a 36 hour period to confirm malaria.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Know what causes malaria. Know the signs and symptoms. Pay attention for signs of spleen failure. Take your temperature to identify a high fever. Get a diagnosis.