Malaria

Malaria remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide and a substantial cause of morbidity in returning travellers in the UK. The management of malaria, recent advances in diagnosis, guidelines on treatment and prevention, and current areas of controversy, are summarized, being aimed at clinicians in non-endemic countries who do not routinely encounter malaria. The most important message is that malaria is common, so it should be suspected. 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.