Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most severe neurological complication of infection with Plasmodium falciparum and is a major cause of acute non-traumatic encephalopathy in tropical countries. Insights into the processes leading to cerebral malaria might help to clearly define the patients at risk and identify risk factors for poor prognosis and fatal outcome, for a rapid and adequate intervention. We set out to describe the spectrum of cerebral malaria in our setting, and investigate some factors which may be characteristics of this severe form of the disease, and which may help in improving or accelerating the recognition of cerebral malaria.