Malaria: Clinical criteria

Malaria classically presents with high fever, rigors, sweats and headache, which may be paroxysmal. Other common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, arthralgia, and abdominal and back pain. Anaemia, thrombocytopenia and abnormal liver function tests are typical. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum can be severe (sometimes fatal) and include neurological manifestations, hypoglycaemia, non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, renal failure, severe anaemia and vascular collapse.