QUESTION

I got cerebral malaria in Uganda in 1988. Upon returning to the US I was part of an on-going study through the CDC for a couple years. During that time I had recurrence of what appeared to be an 8-10 hour relapse of the severe body aches, disorientation, fever, chills etc. The tropical doctor that was following me informed me that with something as severe as cerebral malaria the brain can record the experience and periodically and randomly play it back kind of like an LSD flashback. I was tested on multiple occasions and the parasite was dead. This has happened to me every several years since 1988.

I had a recurrence of these malaria-like symptoms last night and this morning and by 10 am I felt fine. I looked online but could not find anything relating to this information of the brain replaying the symptoms. Can you let me know if this is common or true?

Thank you in advance.

ANSWER

Hi, that is a very interesting story! I personally have not heard of other cases where a patient experienced regular “flashbacks” and I have consluted one of our medical advisers, and he has not personally heard of other cases of malaria “flashbacks” either.

It might be worth checking up directly with the CDC to see if any other patients they followed experienced similar after effects.