Malaria-CDCreport

Malaria

ICD-10 B50: Falciparum
ICD-10 B51: Vivax
ICD-10 B52: Malaria
ICD-10 B53: Ovale
ICD-10 B54: Unspecified Malaria
1.13.1 Identification

A parasitic infections disease; with 4 human types of malaria causing symptoms sufficiently similar to make species differentiation impossible without laboratory studies. The most prominent feature of malaria is fever. Classic descriptions of fever with a regular recurring pattern every two or three days is not usually present when the disease begins. Irregular fever also may occur due to mixed infections and ineffective use of prophylactic drugs and partial treatment. Patients commonly feel well on the days when fever is absent. A presumptive diagnosis of malaria should be made for any person with a high fever who has been to a malarious area until proved otherwise, particularly with recent travel. Early diagnosis with prompt appropriate treatment is essential as malaria can be a fatal disease. If the initial blood film is negative for malarial parasites it should be repeated within 12–24 hours and preferably when the temperature is rising. One negative test does not exclude the diagnosis, particularly if the patient has taken antibiotics which may result in partial treatment of the infection.