10 Symptoms of Malaria
Symptom #4: Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain is another common malaria symptom that may occur in early stages of malaria infection and is caused by the rapid inflammation and enlargement of the liver and/or spleen (specifically, by the distension of their capsules). During infection with the most severe form of malaria (particularly plasmodium falciparum) large numbers of red blood cells are sequestered in those tissues and other major organs.
The causes of severe and persistent abdominal pain in malaria include acalculous cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), gastrointestinal hemorrhages, acute surgical abdomen, rupture of the spleen, splenic infarction, splenic torsion and hepatitis/ hepatomegaly (inflammation and enlargement of the liver).If you have a history of travel to an endemic area and are experiencing abdominal pain that is accompanied by other symptoms like headache, fever, chills or muscular pain you should seek immediate medical attention.
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