Malaria
(Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae,
Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium ovale)
Malaria is a serious disease caused by a microscopic
parasite that affects red blood cells. There are four species of malaria
parasite: Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae, P. vivax, and P.
ovale.
The severity of disease depends on the species of Plasmodium causing the
infection. The parasite is transmitted by a bite of an infected
Anopheles mosquito, commonly found in tropical and subtropical
regions of the world. Malaria can also be transmitted from mother to
fetus, via blood transfusions, organ transplant, or use of shared
needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood.
People usually become ill with malaria within 7 days to
30 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Infection with
malaria parasites may range from absent of symptoms to severe illness
including death. Initially, symptoms include fever, chills, sweats,
headaches, nausea and vomiting, body aches, and general malaise. Severe
symptoms may include neurologic abnormalities, severe anemia, acute
respiratory distress syndrome, decrease in blood platelets, low blood
glucose, cardiovascular collapse and shock, and acute kidney failure.
Most of the malaria cases in the United States are
reported from returning travelers and immigrants. In Wisconsin, an
average of 12 cases of malaria was reported annually between 2002 and
2009. All illnesses were reported from people who traveled to a malaria
endemic country.
General information
Epidemiology and disease trends
Information for health professionals
This is a Wisconsin Disease Surveillance Category II disease:
Report to
the patient's local public health department electronically, through the Wisconsin
Electronic Disease Surveillance System
(WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case
Report F44151 (PDF,
167 KB) or by other means within 72 hours upon recognition of a
case. DHS
Communicable Disease Reporting
CDC Malaria Case Report form (PDF, 33 KB) Wisconsin case reporting
and public health follow-up guidelines:
Malaria EpiNet
(PDF, 34 KB)
Diagnosis and treatment in the United States (Exit
DHS)
Laboratory guidance
Laboratory Criteria For Confirmation
- Microcopy detection of malaria parasites in thick or thin
peripheral blood films by microscopy, OR
- Detection of species specific DNA in samples of peripheral blood
by PCR
Note: Detection of circulating malaria-specific antigens using
rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is only a screening test and malaria
species need to be confirmed by another test.
Additional resources
Malaria
disease prevention (Exit
DHS)
Malaria
references and resources (Exit
DHS)
Contacts
Wisconsin
Local Health Departments - Regional offices - Tribal agencies
Diep Hoang Johnson
Vectorborne Disease Epidemiologist
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
(Phone 608-267-0249) (Fax 608-261-4976)
PDF:
The free Adobe Reader® software is needed to view and
print portable document format (PDF) files. Learn
more
Last Revised:
January 29, 2013 |
