Swelling of Lymph Nodes and Malaria

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QUESTION

I would like to know if swelling of lymph nodes in neck is any way connect to malaria?

ANSWER

Swollen lymph nodes are often a sign that the body is trying to fight off an infection, and so swollen lymph nodes are certainly sometimes observed in malaria patients. However, most malaria infections would also be associated with other symptoms, such as fever, chills, nausea and aches.

In some cases (but not all), malaria patients experience cyclical fever, whereby they have a high fever one day and no fever the next, but the fever returns on the third day, and the cycle continues. One type of malaria exhibits a cycle of fever one day, then no fever for two days, then fever returns on the fourth day. However, many patients do not experience these cycles, which means their symptoms are very similar to those for many other illnesses, which is why if you are in or have been visiting an area where malaria is transmitted and you have some of the above symptoms, it is very important to visit a doctor or clinic to get diagnosed for malaria. This can be done with a simple blood test, and the results are usually available very quickly. Then, if you are diagnosed as positive for malaria, the doctor can recommend appropriate treatment and instruct you in the proper way of taking it.

Headaches, Sweats, Nausea, Fatigue

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QUESTION

Since visiting Gambia I have been off food, suffering from headaches, sweats, nausea, tiredness and diarrhea after every meal, when I can eat that is. Do you think I should go to the doctor for a test for malaria?

ANSWER

Yes—whenever you have symptoms that include fever and sweats after visiting an area of high malaria transmission, it is always worthwhile getting a malaria test. With a positive diagnosis, the doctor can find out what type of malaria you have and then give you the most appropriate treatment. If the test is negative, the doctor is then able to look for other possible causes of your symptoms, such as an intestinal parasitic infection or some other illness.

Malaria Symptoms

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QUESTION

How does the virus cause the symptoms?

ANSWER

Malaria is actually not caused by a virus—it is caused by a microscopic single-celled parasite called Plasmodium. Several different species cause malaria in humans, the most common of which are P. vivax and P. falciparum.

To describe the process in a very oversimplified way, the malaria parasites cause disease by infecting red blood cells, multiplying inside them, then simultaneously bursting out again, destroying then red blood cell in the process. The sudden destruction of lots of red blood cells, plus the debris and waste products left behind by the malaria parasites, stimulate a rapid immune reaction, which itself causes the rapid spike of fever. The characteristic cycles of fever sometimes seen with malaria sufferers occurs because the malaria parasites synchronise their emergence from the red blood cells. The destruction of red blood cells, together with concurrent physiological changes associated with immune response and inflammation, can also lead to decreased haemoglobin levels and anaemia.

More severe clinical symptoms are often seen with P. falciparum malaria infection, particularly if not promptly diagnosed and treated. This is because the P. falciparum parasite infects a red blood cell, it changes the surface of the cell and makes it “sticky”; when the red blood cell then tries to pass through the small blood vessels that lead into the body’s organs, it becomes stuck. This process is known as “sequestration”. If enough red blood cells become sequestered in the organs, it can reduce blood flow to the organ, resulting in oxygen deprivation. When this happens in the blood vessels in the brain, the patient may experience impaired consciousness, confusion and even coma and death—this manifestation is known as “cerebral malaria.”

What are the symptoms of malaria?

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QUESTION

What are the symptoms of malaria?

ANSWER

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells.

Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. Infection with one type of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.

Recurring Malaria

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QUESTION

I had malaria twice when I was 4 and 8 years old. I am 50 years old now but I have severe chills at least once or twice a month, muscle aches, fatigue severe head aches for the past 10-15 years with no apparent cause and my I take head ache medication for migraine (maxalt and excedrim) and my chills and fatigue is getting more frequent. I had no other history of any diseases. Is this symptoms a possible recurrent malaria.

ANSWER

Thanks for your question. One of the most common symptoms of malaria is high fever, which comes in cycles with chills in between. Without fever, it is unlikely that you are suffering from malaria.

However, there are some forms of malaria which can cause relapses. Specifically, Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale can form dormant liver stages which can then re-enter the blood causing a relapse of malaria infection and a recurrence of symptoms. To diagnose malaria in your case, next time you have an episode of chills, go to your doctor and ask for a blood test to check for malaria. S/he will either look at your blood under the microscope or perform a rapid diagnostic test, which tests for malaria-specific proteins, called antigens, in your blood.

In either case, it will tell you whether you have malaria, and which kind. If you have one of the relapsing kinds (P. vivax  or P. ovale) then you may be able to take a course of a drug called primaquine which kills the dormant liver forms of the malaria parasite and thus prevents future relapses. However, people with G6DP deficiency should not take primaquine, so you should be tested for this deficiency prior to taking the drug.

Malaria Muscle Aches

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QUESTION

I am someone who has traveled to malaria-infected areas in the past and will do so again in the future. I also happen to have a form of musculr dystrophy (myotonic dystrophy type II) that, among other things, causes me to experience frequent episodes of muscular pain. Thus, the mere presence of muscle pain, in my particular case, can tell little about whether I might have malaria.

Though I do understand there are several other symptoms to look for, I also would still like to have a better understanding of what malarial muscle aches tend to feel like in the hope that this information could perhaps help me distinguish this particular form of muscle pain from the other muscle pains I already experience. For example, I have also occasionally experienced pulled muscles, or muscles that simply were overused during a recent, too prolonged session of resistance training. Thus I am familiar with how these feel and how they differ from the more usual pains caused by my muscular dystrophy. This helps me recognize what is likely causing a particular muscle pain on a particular occasion.

Can you describe malarial “muscle aches” in more detail? For example, which muscles are affected? (The muscular dystrophy tends to cause pain more often in certain muscles while others are more rarely, or not at all, affected … so this information alone could be helpful). Does the ache tend to stay in one set of muscles, or does it move around, hurting one set of muscles on Monday morning and another on Monday night, etc.? Is it a persistent, steady pain (hurting as much on Wednesday as it did on Tuesday) or does it fluctuate? Is it a sharp pain? Dull? Throbbing? What? Does moving or using the aching muscle make it hurt more? Does it come with joint pain, or not? What?

I do, of course, intend to educate myself further about malaria and am already aware of other symptoms that are more helpful for me to be aware of. (Headaches is NOT among these since I have so many of those also, but some of the other symptoms I’ve read are far more unusual for me and thus more helpful in signaling to me the possibility that I’m actually sick and not just having a “bad pain day”) But knowing more about typical malarial muscle pain would help give me an additional data point to consider.

Your assistance will be much appreciated.

ANSWER

I have checked in with one of our medical advisors here at MALARIA.com and this is what he has replied:

Unfortunately, there is no useful characterization of muscle aches associated with malaria. Malaria is not a subtle disease that needs to be detected by characterizing the location or quality of muscle pains.  The main symptoms of malaria are high fever and shivering/shaking chills.  The presence of these symptoms should prompt an evaluation for malaria.  That being said, it should not be an issue if the person takes malaria chemoprophylaxis and uses appropriate mosquito avoidance measures.

Hope that helps!

Symptoms and Causes of Malaria

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QUESTION

What are the symptoms and causes of malaria?

ANSWER

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous blood meal taken on an infected person. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About 1 week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the person being bitten.

Because the malaria parasite is found in red blood cells of an infected person, malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared use of needles or syringes contaminated with blood. Malaria may also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant before or during delivery (“congenital” malaria).

There are five kinds of malaria known to infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. knowlesi. The symptoms of malaria differ depending on the type of malaria; P. falciparum  is the most deadly and severe form of the disease. General symptoms of malaria include  include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells.

Symptoms usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs.

Headache and Chills with Malaria

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QUESTION

Could a person be infected by malaria without symptoms of headache and chills?

ANSWER

Malaria symptoms vary considerably, depending on the type of malaria, the severity of the infection and the patient’s natural immunity. It is certainly possible for a patient to have malaria without experiencing headache and chills; some people infected with certain forms of malaria, such as Plasmodium malariae, may not even experience severe fever and barely realise they are infected. However, most cases of malaria, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, which is a faster-acting, more severe form of malaria and usually results in fever and chills, often accompanied by headache and nausea.

Malaria from Dominican Republic?

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QUESTION

Hi i just came back from the Dominican Republic. I started to have a mild fever, chills, muscle pains, a headache, and a cough. Today the fever and chills are gone but my cough and headache have gotten worse. It hurts my head a lot when I cough, I feel a lot of pressure in my head. Can you please tell me why my head hurts so much.  Is this a symptom of malaria? hope to hear from you guys soon thanks!

ANSWER

Headaches can be caused by many things – they are usually classified as primary (tension headaches, migraines or cluster headaches), secondary (as a side effect to some other illness or syndrome, which can very commonly be an infection or response to an allergen) and neuralgia and “other” headaches (neuralgia is inflamed nerves). Malaria, as a serious infection, can cause secondary headaches, while other symptoms include fever (usually in cycles of 2 or 3 days), chills, nausea and aches. However, these symptoms are also consistent with a wide range of other illnesses, including influenza and other common diseases. Malaria symptoms will only appear at least one week after being bitten – if you have started feeling symptoms sooner than this, then you probably don’t have malaria.

Malaria is present in the Dominican Republic, with highest transmission risk in the western part of the country, near the Haitian border. The cities of Santiago and Santo Domingo are considered very low risk for malaria. It is actually recommended that all travellers to the DR take anti-malarial medication (called prophylaxis), to protect against malaria infection. If you were taking prophylaxis, then the risk of getting malaria is very low. However, if you were visiting areas outside of these cities, were not taking anti-malaria medication and it has been at least a week since you were bitten by mosquitoes while there, it may be worth going to your doctor or a hospital to have a malaria test. If you are diagnosed with the disease, then your doctor can quickly prescribe you effective treatment, which should clear up the infection in a matter of days. The type of malaria in the Dominican Republic (Plasmodium falciparum) can be dangerous if left untreated, though in this area, it responds readily to several different drugs, including chloroquine, so treatment will be uncomplicated.

If you have taken medications for malaria, please help Malaria.com by taking our Malaria Medication Side-effects Survey: Treatment and Prophylaxis. Thank you!

Fever and Body Aches with Malaria

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QUESTION

Is bad throat and fever with with body ache the symptom of malaria?

ANSWER

While fever and body aches are certainly some of the symptoms associated with malaria, a sore throat is well common, but could be the result of enlarged lymph nodes. It is important to note that these symptoms are also present with many other diseases; in fact, the symptoms of malaria are so general that sometimes it is difficult to diagnose, and a blood test should be performed to confirm that a patient is indeed suffering from malaria before treatment is given.