The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that world malaria cases numbered as high as 311 million in 2008. Because malaria's symptoms range in severity and resemble the flu or common cold, many people don't even realize they have the disease. In addition to causing recurring attacks of symptoms, the disease also can inhibit your body's ability to transport oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
About Malaria
The anopheles mosquito transmits malaria. This insect lives in tropical climates and is common in Africa, South America and Asia. Once bitten, your symptoms will appear in seven to 30 days, according to the CDC. You'll experience alternating periods of cold, fever and sweat, along with headaches, body aches and nausea. Depending on the type of parasite the mosquito transmits, you might experience relapses for months or even years after your diagnosis. Relapses happen because two types of parasites, P. vivax and P. ovale, can lie dormant in your liver and reactivate from time to time.
Malaria and Athletic Performance
A research team from the Université Marien Ngouabi in the Congo studied 15 male athletes, nine of whom had malaria. The study, published in 1998 in the French-language journal "Revue des Maladies Respiratoires," analyzed the oxygen capacity of the athletes' blood and found that every infected athlete had less oxygen-carrying capacity in his blood than the healthy athletes. Because your blood carries oxygen to your muscles to "feed" them during exercise, the researchers theorized that malaria-induced anemia could be a limiting factor in athletic performance; it also might be why extreme fatigue is a common malarial symptom.
Malaria Treatment
In the World Health Organization's "Guidelines for Treatment of Malaria," the authors note that it is possible to cure malaria: Cured means that absolutely none of the Plasmodium parasites remains in your body. Antimalarial medications will differ depending on which strain of malaria you have. Your doctor should monitor you for at least 28 days following your treatment regimen to make sure all of the parasites are gone. In some cases, the parasites mutate into a strain that remains unaffected by anti-malarial drugs, which is it's important to monitor symptoms and talk to your doctor. If you feel your malaria symptoms returning, you might need another full course of anti-malarial medication.
Recovery Times
You're very likely to feel fatigued by everyday activities during your recovery period. In "Malaria," Bernard Marcus estimates that it can take up to a month to recover from non-falciparum malarial infections. More serious infections caused by the P. falciparum parasite can take up to a year in recovery time. The best course of action is to complete the amount of exercise you can safely do without exhaustion; when you feel fatigued, stop and rest. Your doctor can advise you on how much exercise it's safe to do during your recovery period.
