Malaria
Organism, Causative Agent, or Etiologic Agent
CD-9 084; ICD-10 B50-B54
(Quartan malaria, Falciparum malaria, Biduoterian fever, Blackwater fever, Tertian malaria, Jungle fever, marsh fever, paludal fever)
Description
Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite. Symptoms usually begin 7 to 30 days after infection. There are four different types of malaria that can affect people, all with very similar symptoms. The most severe type is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, it can be rapidly fatal and is responsible for the majority of malaria-related deaths.
Malaria produces fever, headache, vomiting, shaking chills, and other flu-like symptoms. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the destruction of red blood cells. If drugs are not available for treatment or the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can progress rapidly and become life threatening.