Mystery of blackwater fever from an Australian perspective

Blackwater fever is a haemolytic syndrome associated with malaria that coincided with the use of quinine chemoprophylaxis. Once quinine was no longer chronically used to prevent malaria, blackwater fever largely disappeared and its aetiology remains poorly understood. Blackwater fever is representative of classical tropical medicine and its history was reflected in Australia's colonial development of Papua New Guinea particularly as reported in the Australian medical literature.

Automated summary

Blackwater fever is a haemolytic syndrome associated with malaria and the use of quinine chemoprophylaxis. Its occurrence significantly decreased when quinine was no longer used for malaria prevention. The exact etiology of blackwater fever remains poorly understood. It represents classical tropical medicine and its history is documented in Australian medical literature, particularly in relation to the colonial development of Papua New Guinea.