Fever is not always present, and rigors may or may not be present. The different malarias produce fevers of different frequency, depending on how long it takes to complete shizogony in erythrocytes.
Malaria is especially dangerous to pregnant women and small children.
Severe and complicated malaria is usually caused by delay in treating an uncomplicated attack of P.falciparum. The patient will complain of headache, fever and aches and pains all over the body, and diarrhoea and abdominal pain are sometimes present. Spleen and liver are often palpable on clinical examination. A patient with severe and complicated malaria will often present with impaired consciousness, weakness, and jaundice. These features may occur singly or in combinations.