Causes Of Malaria


Malaria is spread from the bite of a mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests the malaria parasites found in that person's blood. After one week or more, the mosquito can spread the parasite to other people.

After a bite from an infected mosquito, the parasite enters the person's bloodstream and travels to the liver where it grows and multiplies. During this time when the parasite is in the liver, there are no visible symptoms and the victim doesn't feel sick.

The parasite may stay in the liver for a period as short as 8 days or as long as several months to years. After it leaves the liver, it enters red blood cells and continues to grow and multiply. The red blood cells burst, freeing the parasites to attack other red blood cells. It is during this time that symptoms of malaria may begin to surface.






Learn more about the symptoms of malaria.


 

Important Information

There are four types of malaria. MALARONE is approved for the treatment and prevention of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults and children weighing at least 25 lbs.

In studies conducted for the prevention of malaria in adults, the most common side effects possibly attributed to MALARONE versus placebo were headache (5% vs. 7%) and abdominal pain (3% vs. 5%), in pediatric patients, headache (14% vs. 14%), abdominal pain (31% vs. 29%), and vomiting (7% vs. 6%).

MALARONE is not for everyone. You should not take MALARONE if you have severe kidney disease or are allergic to MALARONE or any of its components. If you are pregnant, consult your physician about the risks and benefits of using MALARONE. Rare cases of anaphylaxis following treatment with atovaquone/proguanil (MALARONE) have been reported.