What causes severe malaria and its complications in children? Lessons learned over the past 15 years

Abstract

Abstract Over the past 15 years, malaria mortality has reduced by approximately 50%. However, malaria still causes more than 400,000 deaths annually, most of which occur in African children under 5 years of age. Significant advances in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease provide a basis for future work to prevent severe malaria and its complications. Herein, we provide an overview of advances in our understanding of severe malaria in African children over the past 15 years, highlighting key complications and identifying priorities to further reduce malaria-associated mortality.

Keywords

• Severe malaria
• Cerebral malaria
• Severe malarial anemia
• Pathogenesis
• Plasmodium falciparum
• Acute kidney injury