Malaria

Malaria remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide and a cause of morbidity in returning travellers in the UK. The management of malaria, recent advances in diagnosis and current areas of controversy are summarized, primarily for clinicians in non-endemic countries who do not routinely encounter it. The most important message is that malaria is very common and presentation is non-specific, so a malaria test is essential. Early diagnosis and prompt effective treatment prevent unnecessary deaths. Health promotion for travellers to endemic areas is essential to reduce the burden of imported malaria.