by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
Can malaria cause vomiting when a smell of petrol is inhaled?
ANSWER
One of the symptoms of malaria is nausea, and vomiting can also occur, but it would not necessarily be linked to certain smells. The most characteristic symptom malaria is a high fever, often also accompanied by periods of chills. See more malaria symptoms here.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
How to identify malaria? My son has fever and headache for the past three days and also vomiting. Is treatment is necessary and what type of treatment he needs?
ANSWER
You need to take your son to the doctor or to a clinic where they can do a blood test to look for malaria. They will either look at his blood under a microscope or use his blood in a “rapid diagnostic test” (RDT), both of which can identify the presence of the malaria parasites in his blood. If he is positively diagnosed with malaria, then your son should receive treatment, probably a type of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) – common brands include Coartem, Lonart and Alu (though there are many others). These are what the World Health Organisation recommends as first line treatment against non-severe malaria.
Given your son’s symptoms, you should certainly go for a malaria test, just in case. However, vomiting is not usually a symptoms associated with malaria, so it is also possible he has another infection, such as an intestinal parasite, or even a bacterial or viral infection. Unfortunately, the symptoms of malaria are very general, so you really need to have one of the blood tests I mention above in order to be sure that your son has malaria.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
Please tell me the symptoms of malaria.
ANSWER
Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Due to the way in which the malaria parasite reproduces in the human body, fevers occurring in a cyclical fashion (i.e. high fever one day, no fever the next day, then recurrence of fever on the third or fourth day, depending on the type of malaria) are a characteristic symptom of malaria, but may not be present in all cases. 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. When blood supply to the brain is disrupted during malarial infection, the resulting condition, characterised by seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death, is known as “cerebral malaria”, and is associated with Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly form of malaria.
Please check your article: Symptoms and Causes of Malaria
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
Is it normal to be vomiting after taking malaria tablets?
ANSWER
Side effects are generally rare with most malaria medication, though vomiting is one of the more common side effects that have been reported. We at MALARIA.com are very interested in hearing about people’s experiences with malaria medication, so please take our malaria survey. Many thanks for your time!
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION
My mother is an old patient of arthritis. She has also had a long stint with asthma and tuberculosis. She has presently been diagnosed with urine infection but was treated with malaria medicines artesunate and primaquine phosphate.
What side effects could she possibly develop by wrong administration of malaria medicines?
ANSWER
Luckily there are few major side effects associated with either artesunate or primaquine. Mild side effects of the former include ones similar to malaria: nausea, headache, loss of appetite and vomiting. Side effects of primaquine are very similar to this, but can also include intense itching and anemia in some people (mainly of Mediterranean or African descent). The main thing to be aware of with primaquine is that it can be dangerous for people with G6DP deficiency, so patients should be tested for this before taking primaquine.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION:
Will malaria cause severe stomach pain?
ANSWER:
In some cases, yes, malaria can cause stomach cramps and pain. It also often causes nausea and vomiting. It is important to seek medical attention if you think you have symptoms of malaria; a quick and accurate diagnosis will lead to effective and efficient treatment, which improves chances of a rapid recovery.
by Malaria Q&A
QUESTION:
How can I reduce vomiting during malaria?
ANSWER:
The most important thing to do when suffering from malaria is to get diagnosed promptly by a doctor or clinic and then receive appropriate treatment. This is the quickest way to reduce symptoms of the disease, such as vomiting, as well as prevent progression of the disease. Once treatment has begun to be administered, your doctor or nurse may also be able to give you medication to reduce nausea and vomiting, but you should certainly consult with medical professionals before taking any other medication while being treated for malaria.