Malaria is a medical emergency and can become life-threatening if not quickly diagnosed and appropriately treated. Only a healthcare provider can diagnose and treat a patient for malaria. Prescription drugs, available in the U.S., can cure malaria.

Learn about the symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention of this infectious disease transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.

Reference the Algorithm for Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment in the United States for a summary of the recommended steps to evaluate, diagnose, and treat malaria patients. Use the Malaria Treatment Tables for drug recommendations, as well as adult and pediatric dosing.

Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, illness caused by parasites. You get it from the bite of infected mosquitoes. Antimalarial medications can cure it.

WHO maintains a list of medicines that are used as first-line treatment in endemic countries for uncomplicated and severe malaria, as well as for prevention and treatment during pregnancy.

Because of this, drug treatment for malaria infection should be tailored to best fit the Plasmodium species involved and the geographical location where the infection was acquired.

If you travel to an area where malaria spreads, take anti-malaria medicine, cover your skin with clothing, and use an insect repellant. If you do get malaria, see a doctor quickly for...

The best malaria medication depends on where you’re going, your health, and things such as pregnancy. So your doctor will pick what’s safest and most effective for you.

If the diagnosis of malaria is suspected and cannot be confirmed, or if the diagnosis of malaria is confirmed but species determination is not possible, antimalarial treatment effective against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum must be initiated immediately.

Learn about the symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention of this infectious disease transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.