World Malaria Day 2025: Do you know about cerebral malaria; the deadliest form that affects the brain?

World Malaria Day 2025: Every year on April 25, World Malaria Day is celebrated to discuss and develop treatments and precautions that can help prevent malaria from spreading. This day promotes awareness of the disease's health problems as well as lifestyle habits that can help keep people safe.

We can't talk about malaria's damaging impacts without mentioning its worst version, which attacks brain cells. Cerebral malaria develops when infected red blood cells block small blood arteries in the brain, causing inflammation, edema, and tissue damage. Dr. Praveen Gupta, Principal Director and Chief of Neurology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, discussed the disease's causes, symptoms, and lethality.

Cerebral malaria is transmitted through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito carrying P. falciparum. Once in the bloodstream, the parasite replicates within red blood cells. In severe situations, infected cells stick to the walls of cerebral blood vessels, blocking blood flow and causing inflammation.