How can I distinguish malaria from a simple cold?

Question

Hi, I am going to South Africa next September and I will take malaria tablets for that.

Since I am a cold prone person ( I always catch colds no matter whether it's winter or summer) and my colds *always* come with fever and severe throat sore , should I catch one while in South Africa * how* can I tell it's a simple cold and not malaria?

Because those tablets are just a preventive treatment and you cant rule out the possibility to get it, unfortunately.

I know I sound paranoid but I just want to know. Thank ya.

Answer 1

The symptoms are very different, for one. Most people, cold-prone or not, don't have +40C in fever.

To get malaria dispite profylactic is uncommon, bordering on rare. However, you might get side effects from the profylactic that resembles malaria if you're unlucky.

Even if more people die of malaria than in AIDS each year, you must be extremely unlucky to get it. Good luck and try not to worry too much!

Answer 2

Safest thing is to take a test any time you feel strange symptoms. It takes 5 minutes, one blood drop from your finger  and you can ask for it in any health structure. Anyway malaria is not that much like e cold. It is a flue multiplied by 10 and incubation takes 10 to 21 days, so careful even where you are back from your trip.

Answer 3

Since my brother just caught a very nasty form of malaria in South Africa and told me what it is like, I suggest you wouldn't have any problem at all distinguishing between the 2.

One is a cold and the other one makes you feel you are dying.

You're far more likely to get mugged.

Answer 4

You are actually highly unlikely to catch malaria in South Africa, we travelled for 2 years and only used tablets when we left SA to enter Botswana. 8 months were in SA oh, and please, avoid Durban!!

My advice, don't take anything as you are visiting a low risk country, that way, if you do present symtoms, a simple test will suffice.

Probably, your brother must have been VERY unlucky. As for the mugging comment, pah, you only get mugged in SA if you visit the wrong areas, keep your wits about you and you'll have a great and safe time. Cape Town is flippin brilliant and we're emmigrating there in 3 years.

Answer 5

The first symptoms are usually very similar to ‘flu – aches and pains, fever, headache and so on. After a few days, the typical paroxysms may occur – chills, followed firstly by a high fever for a few hours, and then by profuse sweating. Between these paroxysms, the patient may feel well, depending on the type of malaria that has been contracted. Some forms of malaria are more severe than others, and the time between the paroxysms differs, depending on the type of malaria. Malaria should be suspected in anybody with these sorts of symptoms who has been to a malaria area.

This basically means that after the first few days of flu symptoms, your body will go into cycles of being feeling well for a few hours followed by a few hours of severe flu symptoms.

The first symptoms only start to show after a week, but it can take up to two months before the first symptoms show up.

Answer 6

In SA you wont get malaria but to answer you,Malaria is more like flu not a cold you will have back pain due to kidney infection an so on but if you feel like a cold or flu you must get yourself test if it persist test yourself again,At most pharmacies they sell small kit's with which you can test yourself like a home pregnancy test,they are good,but for the best results see MD.

Thanks for visiting our country

Answer 7

The only places in South Africa that are prone to malaria are the Lowveld of Mpumalanga( towards the Kruger Park) and in Limpopo (the northern parts) and in KwaZulu Natal, as you approach Mozambique. So if you intend to be anywhere near there you'd need to take malaria tablets.

Answer 8

You will know its not a simple or common cold.Believe me. Unfortunately most GP's in SA still seem unable to distinguish between flu and  malaria. You need to tell them if you have been to a malaria area.

Answer 9

Most good sites on S.A. Internet will tell you if that area is malaria free or not so you can in fact, arrange to travel in only malaria free areas and still see a lot of the country. Below is the S.A. Government page on Malaria. If you must venture into one of the danger areas, have your mosquito repellent with you and use it. Rent rooms that provide mosquito netting to cover your bed at night. And of course have your anti malaria shots or pills or whatever you have arranged with your doctor for that purpose. If you are in a malaria zone, try to wear trousers instead of shorts etc. If you offer a mosquito a snack, it is going to take you up on your offer so don't offer it a place to bite if you can avoid it. Have a great time in South Africa.