Laboratory confirmation of infection with or without clinical evidence of infection:
- demonstration of Plasmodium sp. in a blood smear/film (thick and thin)
Laboratory confirmation of infection with or without clinical evidence of infection:
- detection of Plasmodium sp. antigen in an appropriate clinical specimen
Clinical Evidence
Signs and symptoms vary; however, most patients experience fever. In addition to fever, common associated symptoms include headache, back pain, chills, sweats, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cough. Severe untreated malaria can lead to coma, seizures, renal failure, pulmonary edema and death.
Notes:
- A case is counted if it is the individual's first attack of malaria in Canada, regardless of whether or not she/he has experienced previous attacks of malaria outside the country.
- A subsequent attack in the same person caused by a different Plasmodium species is counted as an additional case.
- A repeat attack by the same species is not counted as a new case unless the person has traveled to a malaria-endemic area since the previous attack.
