The incubation period for malaria is calculated from the time a mosquito carrying sporozoites bites a person to transmit the disease until the appearance of clinical symptoms with the first fever. This period is long or short depending on the type of malaria parasite transmitted, on average about 7 - 21 days.

A typical malaria attack progresses through 3 stages. Each stage has different manifestations and symptoms. If a patient has typical malaria for the first time, if not treated well, there will be near or distant recurrences leading to dangerous complications.