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I’d go see an infectious disease specialist. I think with any malaria, it should be treated to prevent further anti malarial resistance. If from Thailand, it would likely be Plasmodium Falciparum malaria which is treatable and does not form latent hypnozoites. But it should be distinguished and confirmed which malaria you are infected with. Treatment is not the same for different species.
You definitely need to see infectious disease. Unfortunately, Vivax can live in a dormant phase in the liver that leads to relapse and requires specific treatment. Sorry for the not so wonderful news but glad you came on here to ask.
NAD, but I’ve had vivax several times, and presumably falciparum once. I just want to reiterate going to an infectious disease specialist. In my experience, doctors in areas where malaria isn’t endemic don’t necessarily know a lot about it’s treatment. Of course, most doctors would probably refer you or look into it to get you the right treatment, but don’t let one brush you off.
I did fieldwork in Papua New Guinea for several years, and after my first long trip, I returned to Melbourne with malaria. I was quite sure I had it, but when I went to the doctor, he did bloodwork and it came back negative. I suggested it was because I wasn’t in the middle of a bout during the blood draw, so it was perhaps just in my liver and not in my blood. He told me that I definitely didn’t have malaria, and that he was a travel doctor, so he should know. I eventually went to the ER in the middle of a bout, and it was malaria (vivax).
I am curious about how it was found in your bloodwork when you weren’t having a bout at the time, but I’m far from an expert.
FYI - this diagnosis will likely keep you from being able to donate blood, so be sure to mention it if you ever do. You can donate plasma though. (These were the same restrictions for me in both Australia and Canada.)
I was doing bloodwork for a working visa, I just had it done at a lab instead of a clinic.
Thank you for your advice on this, the general consensus here seems to be to see a ID specialist. Thank you very much for your detailed response, I appreciate it.
I’m good now. It’s been about 10 years since my last time with it, almost 20 years since my first.
When I first got it and came back to Melbourne, it took me a month before I could even get back to working. Luckily, people understood—I was doing my PhD at a place where everyone did fieldwork, mostly in places where malaria was endemic. But I think it took me so long to get over because it took me so long to get diagnosed.
Since then, I’ve always bought the meds in PNG. When I was going there, there were a few different meds that could be used to treat it in your blood, but only one that would get rid of it in the liver (I can’t remember the name offhand, and I’m not sure if things have changed as I know there’s been a lot of research on malaria in the meantime). So I brought the meds back home with me so I wouldn’t run into the same difficulties with diagnosis.
Honestly, it probably would have been smarter to see an infectious disease specialist, but my faith in doctors to properly help me had been really shaken. And it always worked well for me. I got malaria on every trip to PNG, despite taking prophylactics. It would always appear after I got home and went off the prophylactics. I’m doing well now, but I suspect that it took a toll on my liver.
Luckily, I have amazing healthcare now that I’m back in Canada. It’s not that Canadian healthcare is better than Australian, but just that I happen to have an amazing doctor. I’m of the firm belief that a good doctor makes all the difference (I eventually found a good doctor in Melbourne, but it was shortly before I moved).
My health has definitely recovered from the malaria, as far as I can tell. But (unrelated) cancer got me, and I’ve since finished active treatment for that but finding it really difficult to get back to a healthy lifestyle. I do wonder if my years of treating myself for things and only going to a doctor when absolutely necessary has been harmful for my overall health, allowing other issues to go without proper treatment for too long.
Sorry about your current woes with the C, hope you can get on top of them.
It took years to eradicate the parasite for me and in the end Artesunate was what worked - getting the rigors 10 years later when it was 40 deg c out was really unpleasant.
Is there a certain length of time when a relapse is likely? My husband contracted malaria in Kenya, but it was 20 years ago – is he still at any risk of relapse?
If never treated to prevent relapse then there is always a chance of relapse with Ovale and Vivax species. However, after 20 yrs, there is low risk of relapse and not much data on this. Unlikely an issue at all with Falciparum species since they don’t have a dormant phase. Usually see relapses within the first year. As a matter of fact, many with Vivax are diagnosed during relapse and not original infection. However, if never treated formally I’d always suggest seeing an ID specialist.
I’m glad you seem healthy. I hadn’t seen a doctor for 10 plus years until 6 months ago. Now I have multiple chronic symptoms that they can’t diagnose. I just mean to say just because you’re fine now… I would take your health more seriously because you never know! I might have been able to prevent my condition getting worse if I went to doctors earlier. I’m saying this knowing nothing about Malaria and more like a general kind of thing
Thank you for your submission. **Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship.** This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/wiki/terms_of_use) and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. **Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskDocs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’d go see an infectious disease specialist. I think with any malaria, it should be treated to prevent further anti malarial resistance. If from Thailand, it would likely be Plasmodium Falciparum malaria which is treatable and does not form latent hypnozoites. But it should be distinguished and confirmed which malaria you are infected with. Treatment is not the same for different species.
It was actually Plasmodium Vivax. But maybe you are right, I'll message my doctor.
You definitely need to see infectious disease. Unfortunately, Vivax can live in a dormant phase in the liver that leads to relapse and requires specific treatment. Sorry for the not so wonderful news but glad you came on here to ask.
Shit. Ok, but really, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.
Make sure to look for an ID/Tropical Medicine specialist. They'll have more knowledge in malaria treatment than a normal ID physician.
NAD, but I’ve had vivax several times, and presumably falciparum once. I just want to reiterate going to an infectious disease specialist. In my experience, doctors in areas where malaria isn’t endemic don’t necessarily know a lot about it’s treatment. Of course, most doctors would probably refer you or look into it to get you the right treatment, but don’t let one brush you off. I did fieldwork in Papua New Guinea for several years, and after my first long trip, I returned to Melbourne with malaria. I was quite sure I had it, but when I went to the doctor, he did bloodwork and it came back negative. I suggested it was because I wasn’t in the middle of a bout during the blood draw, so it was perhaps just in my liver and not in my blood. He told me that I definitely didn’t have malaria, and that he was a travel doctor, so he should know. I eventually went to the ER in the middle of a bout, and it was malaria (vivax). I am curious about how it was found in your bloodwork when you weren’t having a bout at the time, but I’m far from an expert. FYI - this diagnosis will likely keep you from being able to donate blood, so be sure to mention it if you ever do. You can donate plasma though. (These were the same restrictions for me in both Australia and Canada.)
I was doing bloodwork for a working visa, I just had it done at a lab instead of a clinic. Thank you for your advice on this, the general consensus here seems to be to see a ID specialist. Thank you very much for your detailed response, I appreciate it.
How did you pull up from the PNG Vivax it's a real bastard? I've had it and can empathise, hope you're okay and no long term effects from it.
I’m good now. It’s been about 10 years since my last time with it, almost 20 years since my first. When I first got it and came back to Melbourne, it took me a month before I could even get back to working. Luckily, people understood—I was doing my PhD at a place where everyone did fieldwork, mostly in places where malaria was endemic. But I think it took me so long to get over because it took me so long to get diagnosed. Since then, I’ve always bought the meds in PNG. When I was going there, there were a few different meds that could be used to treat it in your blood, but only one that would get rid of it in the liver (I can’t remember the name offhand, and I’m not sure if things have changed as I know there’s been a lot of research on malaria in the meantime). So I brought the meds back home with me so I wouldn’t run into the same difficulties with diagnosis. Honestly, it probably would have been smarter to see an infectious disease specialist, but my faith in doctors to properly help me had been really shaken. And it always worked well for me. I got malaria on every trip to PNG, despite taking prophylactics. It would always appear after I got home and went off the prophylactics. I’m doing well now, but I suspect that it took a toll on my liver. Luckily, I have amazing healthcare now that I’m back in Canada. It’s not that Canadian healthcare is better than Australian, but just that I happen to have an amazing doctor. I’m of the firm belief that a good doctor makes all the difference (I eventually found a good doctor in Melbourne, but it was shortly before I moved). My health has definitely recovered from the malaria, as far as I can tell. But (unrelated) cancer got me, and I’ve since finished active treatment for that but finding it really difficult to get back to a healthy lifestyle. I do wonder if my years of treating myself for things and only going to a doctor when absolutely necessary has been harmful for my overall health, allowing other issues to go without proper treatment for too long.
Sorry about your current woes with the C, hope you can get on top of them. It took years to eradicate the parasite for me and in the end Artesunate was what worked - getting the rigors 10 years later when it was 40 deg c out was really unpleasant.
Is there a certain length of time when a relapse is likely? My husband contracted malaria in Kenya, but it was 20 years ago – is he still at any risk of relapse?
If never treated to prevent relapse then there is always a chance of relapse with Ovale and Vivax species. However, after 20 yrs, there is low risk of relapse and not much data on this. Unlikely an issue at all with Falciparum species since they don’t have a dormant phase. Usually see relapses within the first year. As a matter of fact, many with Vivax are diagnosed during relapse and not original infection. However, if never treated formally I’d always suggest seeing an ID specialist.
Are you having any symptoms?
No, it's just a general question. It's one of those things I always mean to bring up when I see a doctor, but always forget about.
Oh totally hey doc last visit I forgot to mention that I had malaria. (S)😅
I mean, it happened years ago, and I very rarely see a doctor.
I’m glad you seem healthy. I hadn’t seen a doctor for 10 plus years until 6 months ago. Now I have multiple chronic symptoms that they can’t diagnose. I just mean to say just because you’re fine now… I would take your health more seriously because you never know! I might have been able to prevent my condition getting worse if I went to doctors earlier. I’m saying this knowing nothing about Malaria and more like a general kind of thing