QUESTION

What are the lasting effects of malaria?

ANSWER

Most people who get malaria and receive the correct treatment in time, usually have no long term affects of malaria infection.

However some people who have suffered severe cerebral malaria (from P. falciparum) may experience some longer term neurological effects. There have been reports that up to 25% of young children with severe malaria experience neurological, behavioral or motor problems afterwards.

Other types of malaria, such as P. ovale and P. vivax, can form dormant life stages which hide in the liver for weeks, months or even years, leading to relapse at a later date. However, apart from these recurrences, there are also no long term effects of infection with these types of malaria.