Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite. There are different types of Plasmodium parasites, each causing a different type of malaria. Malaria tropica is the most serious type.

What are the symptoms of malaria?

Malaria often starts with flu-like symptoms. The patient then often develops:

• fever
• cold chills
• muscle pain
• headache

The severity of the disease and the course of the recurrent fever vary depending on the type of malaria. Malaria causes paroxysmal attacks involving chills and then fever. In tertian malaria, these attacks happen every 48 hours. In quartan malaria, they occur every 72 hours.

How can I recognise the severe form of malaria?

The most severe form of malaria often starts the same as any other malaria infection. However, after a few days, serious problems can develop in the brain, kidneys, or circulatory system. Rapid treatment is very important for severe malaria. Severe malaria can be fatal if you are not treated in time. Always seek medical assistance if you develop a fever after returning from countries where malaria is prevalent.

Who can become very ill from malaria?

Some people can become more seriously ill from malaria:

• pregnant people
• young children
• people who no longer have a spleen
• older people (over 65) traveling to areas where malaria is common*
• people with immune disorders

*Older people living in areas where malaria is common do not have an increased risk of becoming seriously ill from malaria. This is because they have built up a high level of natural immunity.

Is it dangerous to get a malaria infection during pregnancy?

Malaria can be very dangerous during pregnancy –especially severe malaria. Pregnant people have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill. In addition, there is a higher risk of miscarriage. The baby can also become infected at birth.

Are you pregnant and planning to travel to an area where malaria is present?  Always consult your doctor or the vaccination clinic before booking your trip. If you decide to travel, it is especially important to use mosquito repellent and take malaria pills. Please note that some malaria pills should not be taken during pregnancy.

How does malaria spread?

People cannot transmit malaria to other people. It is only possible to get malaria if you are bitten by an Anopheles mosquito, which is active at night. Only mosquitoes that carry Plasmodium parasites can infect humans. The mosquito bite transfers the parasites into the person’s blood. The parasites then reproduce in the red blood cells. This makes you ill.

People usually become ill ten to fourteen days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. There are also certain parasites that remain dormant in the liver for a period of time. In that case, it can take months or even years before you become ill.

How can I prevent malaria?

Are you traveling to a tropical or subtropical region? Then you can take malaria pills to prevent illness. Beyond that, it is mainly important to avoid mosquito bites. For example, by:

• wearing clothing that covers as much skin as possible
• sleeping under mosquito nets
• using mosquito repellent at night

Unfortunately, these measures cannot completely prevent you from being bitten and contracting malaria. Have you been to a country where malaria is present within the last four months? And do you have flu-like symptoms?  Always contact your GP in that case –even if you did take malaria pills.

Is there any treatment for malaria?

If you are treated for malaria in time, you can make a full recovery. If you are not treated in time, the symptoms can grow worse very quickly.  If that happens, you could become seriously ill. That is why it is important for malaria to be diagnosed within 48 hours of developing a fever.

If you have been to an area where malaria is present, and now have a fever or other symptoms, then contact your GP immediately.

Where does malaria occur?

Malaria is mainly present in tropical and subtropical areas. The severe form of malaria is very common in Africa. Other forms are more common in parts of South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Almost all cases of malaria in Europe involve people who contracted the disease in other countries. Since 2009, there has been localised spread in a single area of Greece. Malaria used to be present in the Netherlands as well, but this country has officially been malaria-free since 1970. This means that you cannot become infected in the Netherlands. However, you can become infected abroad and later become ill in the Netherlands.

How common is malaria in the Netherlands?

About 150 to 300 cases of malaria are reported in the Netherlands every year. These are all people who have been infected abroad. The figure below shows the annual number of reported cases and which species of Plasmodium caused the disease.

In the State of Zoonoses 2024 you will find an overview of the annual number of malaria cases reported in the Netherlands.