BLACKWATER FEVER

BLACKWATER FEVER -just another tropical illness for POWs!

We are positive Australian and British doctors on the Line had never previously heard of Blackwater fever, let alone the means to treat it.

Blackwater fever is a severe clinical syndrome occurring as a complication of malaria in other words Blackwater fever is a type of rare and complicated malaria infection.

Symptons include a rapid pulse, high fever/chills, vomiting, blood in urine, increased heart rate, jaundice. The person will experience fatigue and too much weakness, a rapidly developing anemia, and the passage of urine that is black or dark red in colour (hence the disease’s name).

In some cases the skin may become dry, thin and scaly in patches and hair may be lost. In people with a light skin tone, greyish discolouration of the skin of hands, feet, abdomen and face may be seen, that is why the disease is also called black fever.

Without proper diagnosis and treatment, blackwater fever is associated with high fatality.