Diagnosing malaria

Malaria is diagnosed by looking for plasmodia (malaria parasites) in a blood smear under a microscope and can also be detected by using a good quality home test kit like the one we offer.

The final diagnosis of malaria should be done by a qualified and experienced health practitioner, since this infection can take various forms, and can mimic a range of other health problems.

The diagnosis should be established by using both a malaria test as well as symptomatic evaluation.

Your health practitioner and malaria infection

A problem often experienced in first world countries, like America, is the fact that malaria infection is not often encountered by medical practitioners in normal practice.

This poses a danger to the patient, as certain indicators may be missed by the attending doctor - not through negligence - but due to the fact that the health practitioner may be unaware that the patient may have been exposed to malaria or other tropical diseases.

It is therefore of utmost importance to keep your health care practitioner informed if you at any time visited a malaria risk area.

To have a look as some malaria symptoms please click here.

Related information

• General information on malaria

• Types of malaria

• People at high risk of malaria infection

• Lifecycle of the plasmodium parasite

• Preventing malaria

  • Protective clothing

  • Insect repellent

  • Bed / sleeping mosquito nets

  • Room management

• Diagnosing malaria

• Symptoms of malaria infection

• Anti-malarial drugs

  • Doxycycline

  • Mefloquine (Larium™)

  • Atovaquone and proguanil combination (Malarone™)

• Testing for malaria

  • Home testing

  • Laboratory testing

  • Other tests that could be done

• Consequences and end result of malaria infection

• Malaria in Southern and South Africa

Our home test kits

• Urine test strips - testing for:
  • Glucose
  • Ketones
  • Blood / Hemoglobin
  • Protein
  • Nitrite
  • pH
  • Urobilinogen
  • Bilirubin
  • Leucocytes
  • Specific gravity
• Malaria test kit
• HIV / Aids home test kit
• Prostate test kit
• Breast Aware™ Breast cancer self examination pad
• Alcohol breathalyzer test
• Ovulation (Fertility) test kit

Information pages

• Urine testing

  • Kidneys and their functions

  • Kidney function regulating body fluids

  • Bilirubin in urine

  • Blood in urine

  • Glucose in urine

  • Ketones in urine

  • Leukocytes in urine

  • Nitrite in urine

  • ph of urine

  • Protein in urine

  • Specific gravity of urine

  • Urobilinogen in urine

  • Parameters of urine test strips (dip sticks)

• Malaria

  • General information on malaria

  • Types of malaria

  • People at high risk of malaria infection

  • Lifecycle of the plasmodium parasite

  • Preventing malaria

    • Protective clothing

    • Insect repellent

    • Bed / sleeping mosquito nets

    • Room management

  • Diagnosing malaria

  • Symptoms of malaria infection

  • Anti-malarial drugs

    • Doxycycline

    • Mefloquine (Larium™)

    • Atovaquone and proguanil combination (Malarone™)

  • Testing for malaria

    • Home testing

    • Laboratory testing

    • Other tests that could be done

  • Consequences and end result of malaria infection

  • Malaria in Southern and South Africa

• Breast cancer
  • Comprehensive information regarding breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
  • Comprehensive information regarding prostate cancer
• HIV / Aids

  • General information

    • Symptoms

    • Facts and frequently asked questions

    • Spreading the virus

    • Kissing

    • Oral Sex

    • Vaginal Sex

    • Anal Sex

    • Condoms

    • Female condoms

    • Drug Use

    • Tattoos

    • Health Care Workers and You

    • "Rapid" home Aids Tests

    • Approved drugs and treatments

    • Schematic drawing of life cycle

• Drugs of abuse

  • Drug detection periods

  • Most common drugs

  • How do drugs work

    • Amphetamines - speed, uppers

    • Cocaine - crack, nose candy

    • Methamphetamine - ecstasy, e, ice

    • Opiates - morphine, opium, heroin, codeine

    • Phencyclidine hydrochloride - pcp, angel dust

    • THC - cannabis, marijuana

• Ovulation, falling pregnant or times when you won't fall pregnant
  • Fertility drug
  • Ovulation calculator