We studied 38 patients with acute renal failure (ARF) due to malaria over a 5-year period between 1990 and 1994 at the Institute of Urology and Transplantation. There were 30 males and 8 females who ranged in age from 13 to 75 years. Most were critically ill on presentation with blood urea levels between 116 and 587 mg% and serum creatinine concentrations between 3 and 30 mg%. Anemia accompanied by hyperbilirubinemia was a result of severe hemolysis. Antimalarial therapy consisted of quinine sulfate, chloroquine, or both. Of the 38 patients, 32 required hemodialysis and eventually recovered normal (n = 29) or near normal (n = 3) function. Six patients died.