What are the symptoms of malaria?
Jan 26, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Fang
Introduction
What are the symptoms of malaria?
Malaria symptoms typically manifest in four stages:
1. **Incubation period**: During this phase, there are usually no obvious clinical symptoms.
2. **Chill stage**: This stage is characterized by pronounced chills, goosebumps, pallor, and even muscle aches.
3. **Fever stage**: Immediately following the chill stage, the body rapidly enters the fever stage, with a swift rise in body temperature.
Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by infection with Plasmodium parasites, transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito or via transfusion of blood from an infected individual. Four Plasmodium species can infect humans: *Plasmodium vivax*, *Plasmodium malariae*, *Plasmodium falciparum*, and *Plasmodium ovale*. In China, *P. vivax* and *P. falciparum* are the predominant species; the other two are rare, though occasional imported cases have been reported in recent years. Each Plasmodium species causes a distinct clinical form of malaria—tertian (every-other-day) malaria, quartan (every-third-day) malaria, falciparum (malignant) malaria, and ovale malaria, respectively.
What Are the Symptoms of Malaria?
Clinically, malaria manifests in four characteristic phases: First, the incubation period, during which no obvious symptoms are present. Second, the chill phase, marked by intense shivering, goosebumps, pallor, and sometimes myalgia. Third, the fever phase, which follows immediately after the chill phase; body temperature rises rapidly to high levels, accompanied by severe headache, a burning sensation on the skin, and intense thirst. Fourth, the sweating phase, occurring as body temperature declines following the fever phase.
1. Avoid mangoes and other foods that promote dampness; refrain from seafood, “trigger” foods (e.g., rubberfish, yellow croaker), vinegar-preserved or fermented foods.
2. For patients with warm-type malaria presenting high fever, thirst, dark urine, and constipation, avoid spicy or warming-drying foods such as tobacco, alcohol, and garlic.
3. For patients with cold-type malaria exhibiting chest tightness, poor appetite, nausea, and thick, greasy tongue coating, avoid fatty, sweet, or heavy foods such as fried items, fatty meats, and sweet potatoes.
4. Opt for light, palatable, easily digestible, high-protein foods—for example, milk and egg drop soup.
5. During periods of high fever, consume bland, semi-liquid foods such as rice porridge or noodles. For those experiencing intense fever with dry mouth and parched tongue, increase intake of fresh fruits and melons—for instance, watermelon and pears.
We hope the above information is helpful to you.
