Malaria can be hard to recognise. You usually get symptoms 7 to 18 days after you've been bitten by an infected mosquito. But sometimes it can take up to a year for you to get symptoms.
The initial symptoms of malaria are flu-like and usually mild.
They include:
- a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above
- feeling hot and shivery
- headaches
- feeling very tired and sleepy (especially in children)
- diarrhoea and vomiting
- muscle pains
- yellow skin or whites of the eyes
- a sore throat, cough and difficulty breathing
How serious your symptoms are depends on the type of malaria you have.
With some types of malaria, symptoms may happen every 2 days. You may feel cold then very hot and tired. These symptoms usually last between 6 and 12 hours.
The Plasmodium falciparum parasite causes the most serious type of malaria. This type can lead to serious complications if it is not treated quickly. This includes breathing problems and organ failure.
When to get medical help
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment if:
- you have malaria symptoms
Do this even if you've returned from travelling in the last 12 months or if you've been taking antimalarial tablets.
Emergency action required: Call 112, 999 or go to your nearest emergency department if:
If you get malaria symptoms while you're still taking antimalarial tablets, tell your GP which type you've been taking. They will use a different antimalarial to treat you.
If you get malaria symptoms after returning home, tell your GP which countries you've travelled to in the last 12 months, including any countries you stopped over in.
Malaria symptoms can get worse very quickly. It's important to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
If there's a chance you have malaria, you will have a blood test to check if you have the infection.
If you have malaria, treatment will be started straight away.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
