A new study has revealed that severe form of malaria proves fatal in children when brain swelling occurs. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by parasitic (a group of single-celled microorganism), which is spread by mosquito. Its symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting and headaches.

In severe cases, it causes coma or death. The disease is transmitted by the bite of female mosquito and the symptoms begin ten to fifteen days after the bite.

The bite of female mosquito is a major killer in the tropics. There were 198 million cases of malaria in 2013 worldwide and about 500,000 people, mostly children, died in Africa due to the disease.

There is no vaccination for malaria, however, drugs can prevent the infection and treat it. But still, malaria can cause death, especially in young children even with treatment.

The researchers found that cerebral malaria, which involves the brain, is an extremely dangerous form of the disease and can lead to coma and death in children.

They claimed that 15 to 25% of African children who contract this type of malaria die. The survivors either suffer from deafness, blindness or develop learning disabilities.

Although doctors were aware that brain swelling played a role to cause death in children suffering from malaria, there was no evidence that could support their belief.

In order to resolve the issue, researchers in Malawi performed M.R.I. scans on 168 children whose illness met a strict definition of cerebral malaria. They found that malaria killed 25 children out of which 12, i.e. 84%, had severe brain swelling. Among the survivors, only 27% had severe swelling.

According to Terrie E. Taylor, senior author of the study and a professor at the Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine, although certain drugs, which include teroids and mannitol, might help with brain swelling, more studies are required to find out what improved treatments might help to reduce the swelling.