What is the Difference Between Dengue Fever and Malaria

The main difference between dengue fever and malaria is that dengue fever is a viral infection whereas malaria is caused by a parasite.

Dengue fever and malaria are two types of infectious diseases.  Plasmodium is the parasite that causes malaria. Here, the transmission of the Plasmodium is through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. On the other hand, the transmission of dengue fever is by a bite of the Aedes mosquito. However, the symptoms of both diseases are different.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Dengue Fever
   • Definition, Characteristics
2. What is Malaria
   • Definition, Characteristics
3. Similarities Between Dengue Fever and Malaria
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Dengue Fever and Malaria
   • Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Dengue Fever, Malaria, Mosquito Bite

What is Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a viral infection and its transmission occurs through the bite of the female Aedes mosquito. Once infected by the bite, humans develop viremia, the condition in which blood contains a higher level of dengue virus. During this period, when the mosquito takes a blood meal, the virus replicates in the mosquito. Then, the virus can pass to a non-infected human through a bite. The incubation period or the period between the bite and the first symptoms is shorter in dengue and it is usually 4 to 10 days. Furthermore, the dengue virus has four serotypes: DENV 1, DENV 2, DENV 3, and DENV4. All four serotypes cause the disease.

Figure 1: Dengue Fever Symptoms

Furthermore, WHO classifies dengue as dengue (with or without warning signs) and severe dengue. Normally, the symptoms of dengue include rashes, swollen glands, nausea and vomiting, and aches and pains (joint and muscle pains, pain behind the eyes). The symptoms of severe dengue include difficulty in breathing or rapid breathing, blood in vomit, urine, or stool, bleeding underneath the skin which appears bruise-like, bleeding from the gums or nose, fatigue, irritability, restlessness, and severe headaches.

What is Malaria

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infection of a parasite, Plasmodium. Normally, the transmission of malaria occurs through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. In general, female mosquitoes take a blood meal for their egg production. When the female mosquito of Anopheles takes a blood meal from a non-infected person, the mosquito injects the Plasmodium parasite into the human through its salivary glands. After the infection, the Plasmodium parasite replicates in the liver. When the life cycle of the parasite comes to the blood stage, the parasite attacks the red blood cells. The incubation period of malaria is 7 to 30 days.  

Figure 2: Plasmodium Life Cycle

Moreover, the symptoms of malaria include chills or feeling shivery, nausea and vomiting, headaches, muscle and joint pains, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, diarrhea, fatigue, and a temperature of 38°C up to 41°C.

Similarities Between Dengue Fever and Malaria

• Dengue fever and malaria are two infectious diseases.
• In both cases, a mosquito vector transmits the disease; only female mosquitos take blood meals.
• They are major threats to global public health.
• Both diseases are common in tropical and sub-tropical countries like the Philippines, as well as other Southeast Asian regions.
• Both diseases cause serious complications and possibly even death.

Difference Between Dengue Fever and Malaria

Definition

Dengue fever refers to a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses, while malaria refers to a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito that feeds on humans.

Mosquito Bite

Dengue fever is a viral infection while malaria is caused by a parasite.

Mosquito

The transmission of dengue fever is by the bite of the Aedes mosquito while the transmission of malaria is by a bite of the female Anopheles mosquito.

Mosquito Features

The distinguishing features of the Aedes mosquito are lyre-shaped markings, banded legs, dark color, and narrow body while the distinguishing features of the Anopheles are dark brown to black in color.

Incubation Period

The incubation period of dengue fever is 4 to 10 days while the incubation period of malaria is 7 to 30 days.

Symptoms

The symptoms of dengue include rashes, swollen glands, nausea and vomiting, and aches and pains (joint and muscle pains, pain behind the eyes) while the symptoms of malaria include chills or feeling shivery, nausea and vomiting, headaches, muscle and joint pains, rapid breathing and heart rate, diarrhea, fatigue, and a temperature of 38°C up to 41°C.

Conclusion

In brief, dengue fever and malaria are two diseases that occur by a single mosquito bite. Usually, dengue fever occurs from a bite of the Aedes mosquito while malaria occurs from a bite of the Anopheles mosquito. However, dengue fever is a viral infection while malaria is a parasitic infection. On the other hand, the incubation period is shorter for dengue fever while it is long for malaria. Fever is a symptom of both diseases. Therefore, the main difference between dengue fever and malaria is their type of infection.

References:

1. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Dengue and severe dengue. World Health Organization. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 22). CDC – Malaria – about malaria – faqs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 26, 2022.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Dengue fever symptoms” By Mikael Häggström- Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Life Cycle of the Malaria Parasite” By National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia