Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you suspect you have malaria or that you've been exposed, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to an infectious disease specialist.
What you can do
Before your appointment, you might want to write a list that answers the following questions:
- What are your symptoms and when did they start?
- Have you recently traveled to or moved from a region in which malaria is common?
- Have you ever had malaria before?
- What types of medications and supplements do you take?
What to expect from your doctor
During the physical exam, your doctor may check your spleen and neurological functions, as well as look for other causes of fever.
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- Krogstad DJ. Malaria. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/199988049-9/0/1492/1254.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50371-2--cesec19_15544. Accessed May 7, 2010.
- Malaria: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/faqs.html. Accessed May 10, 2010.
- Malaria vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/features/vaccines.html. Accessed May 7, 2010.
- Arguin PM, et al. Prevention of malaria infection in travelers. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 7, 2010.
- Breman JG. Clinical manifestations of malaria. http://www.uptodate.com/html/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Malaria diagnosis (United States). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/diagnosis_treatment/diagnosis.html. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Treatment of malaria (guidelines for clinicians). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/resources/pdf/clinicalguidance.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2010.

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