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Annual Malaria cases Report Year 2000 to 2014
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Symptoms of Malaria
It usually takes between seven and 30 days for the symptoms of malaria to develop but it can take longer. This is called the incubation period. It’s more likely to take longer if you’re infected with one of the less severe types of malaria. It may take up to a year before you have any symptoms. The incubation period can also vary depending on whether or not you have taken any medicines to prevent malaria. You can still catch malaria even if you have taken antimalarial medicines correctly.
The first symptoms of malaria are similar to those of flu. You may have:
- a fever
- a headache
- aching muscles
- a tummy ache, diarrhoea and vomiting – especially in children
- a lack of energy
- loss of appetite
- a cough
It’s rare but some people have malaria attacks that happen every two or three days and last between six and 10 hours. These have three stages: feeling cold and shivering; fever and headaches; sweating and tiredness.
If you have an illness with a fever and have travelled to a region with malaria within the last year, visit a doctor. Always tell him or her where you have travelled. The symptoms of malaria can get worse very quickly and therefore it’s important to get immediate treatment.
Treatment of Malaria
Malaria can be treated with medicines but it’s important that you start these as soon as possible. Your treatment will depend on a number of things including what type of malaria you have. Certain medicines don't work for malaria from some parts of the world – your doctor will ask where you have been and take this into account. The length of time that your treatment takes will vary depending on how severe your infection is.
Some medicines used to treat malaria are also used to help prevent the infection. However, if you have taken a medicine to prevent malaria, you can't take the same one again to treat it. Therefore, it's important to tell your doctor about any antimalarial medicines you have taken – if possible, take the medicine packaging to your appointment.
Medicines
Treating mild P. falciparum malaria
If you have P. falciparum malaria, even if your symptoms are mild you will usually need to stay in hospital to be monitored. This is because malaria can rapidly progress and become more severe.
The three main treatments for mild P. falciparum malaria in the UK are:
- quinine followed by a second medicine, usually doxycycline but sometimes clindamycin
- artemether with lumefantrine (Riamet)
- atovaquone with proguanil (Malarone)
- Treating severe P. falciparum malaria
The standard treatment for severe P. falciparum malaria is quinine, which will be injected directly into your blood through a vein (intravenously). Once you're well enough, you can have the rest of your treatment as tablets that you swallow. If quinine isn’t effective, you may be given a medicine called artesunate. However, this can only be prescribed on a ‘named patient basis’. This means that although the medicine is licensed in some countries, it isn’t in the UK. However, your doctor may prescribe it for you if there is no alternative and the potential benefits are thought to outweigh the risks.
If you have severe P. falciparum malaria, you will be monitored carefully and treated for any complications.
Treating other types of malaria
If you have one of the three less severe types of malaria, you’re likely to be treated with chloroquine tablets (eg Avloclor, Malarivon or Nivaquine). It’s safe to take chloroquine if you're pregnant.
If you have malaria caused by P. vivax or P. ovale, you will need treatment to stop the infection coming back. This is because parasites can stay in your liver. You’re likely to be given primaquine after you finish taking chloroquine. If you’re pregnant, your doctor will usually advise that you wait until you have given birth before you take primaquine.
It’s likely that you will be able to take your medicines at home and won’t need to go into hospital. However, you will need to go to hospital if you develop complications or need to be given medicines intravenously.
Treating complications
If you’re diagnosed with severe malaria, your doctors will monitor you so that they can treat any complications quickly. Malaria can affect your kidneys, lungs and blood sugar level so it’s important to check these regularly.
Annual Malaria cases Report Year 2000 to 2014
| Year |
Population |
Blood smear examination |
Positive cases |
Species |
RT given |
Death |
|
|
| Active |
Passive |
Mass |
Total |
|
| Active |
Passive |
Mass |
Total |
|
|
|
|
| 2000 |
1267456 |
|
|
|
735 |
0 |
| 2001 |
1444223 |
|
|
|
437 |
0 |
| 2002 |
1473097 |
|
|
|
389 |
0 |
| 2003 |
1505502 |
|
|
|
1026 |
0 |
| 2004 |
1538619 |
|
|
|
314 |
0 |
| 2005 |
1572464 |
|
|
|
348 |
0 |
| 2006 |
1572464 |
|
|
|
140 |
0 |
| 2007 |
1658945 |
|
|
|
93 |
0 |
| 2008 |
1658945 |
|
|
|
105 |
0 |
| 2009 |
1658945 |
|
|
|
44 |
0 |
| 2010 |
1692121 |
|
|
|
252 |
0 |
| 2011 |
1922075 |
|
|
|
364 |
0 |
| 2012 |
1996691 |
|
|
|
373 |
0 |
| 2013 |
2046608 |
|
|
|
359 |
0 |
| 2014 |
2097772 |
|
|
|
617 |
0 |
| 2015 |
2150218 |
|
|
|
663 |
0 |
|
|
