Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reveals he has been hospitalised with MALARIA contracted on international duty with Gabon, as he posts selfie from his bed during Arsenal's win over Slavia Prague

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed he had to be hospitalised after contracting killer disease malaria.

Arsenal captain Aubameyang took to Instagram to confirm the reason for his absence from the last two games though has vowed to 'be back stronger than ever soon.'

The striker contracted the condition while on international duty with Gabon.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang uploaded a selfie of him in hospital after contracting malaria

But despite the fact he was beginning to feel the effects of the energy-sapping condition Aubameyang still managed to play 77 minutes against Liverpool and came off the bench in the first leg of Arsenal's Europa League tie against Slavia Prague last week, setting up Nicolas Pepe's goal.

But Aubameyang had to be left out of Arsenal's 3-0 win at Sheffield United on Sunday and Thursday night's second leg against Czech side Slavia which Arsenal won 4-0 to earn a 5-1 aggregate win and set up a semi-final tie against Villarreal and former manager Unai Emery.

Aubameyang told his 10 million followers: 'Hey guys, thanks for all the messages and calls. Unfortunately I contracted Malaria whilst being on national team duty in Gabon a few weeks ago. I've spent a few days in hospital this week but I'm already feeling much better every day, thanks to the great doctors that detected and treated the virus so quickly.

'I wasn't feeling myself the last couple of weeks but will be back stronger than ever soon!

'Will be watching my boys now, huge game for us! Let's go and get it Arsenal.'

Aubameyang begun feeling unwell following his return from international duty.

The striker explained he contracted the virus while away with Gabon, his national team

Though it was only when his condition worsened and after further tests that the full seriousness of what had left him feeling under the weather emerged.

Manager Mikel Arteta said: 'We just spoke with him, he is at home. He is completely fine at the moment. He had two days in hospital to get the right treatment but he is feeling good now.

'We will see how he recovers. He will need a few days to recover from that but he wants to be back as soon as possible. That's what he said to me.

In a caption on Instagram he explained that he 'wasn't really feeling' himself in recent weeks

'When he wasn't involved against Sheffield the two days before that he wasn't feeling good but nobody could have expected that was the case.

'The doctor did some more tests, some more analytics and that was when it came and straight away the doc realised what had to be done and he did a great job and he is safe and feeling good.

'It's hopefully not [a while before he makes a full recovery] because he feels really good, that's what he said to me and he really wants to be back.

'Everybody has been in contact with him. He has been really supportive with every team-mate through messages and calls and he was watching the game like everybody else at London Colney, David Luiz, Martin, Kieran Tierney, everyone else that has not been able to be involved and has been missed here but these things happen. He travelled to his country and picked it up and you know always that these risks exist.'

Aubameyang has found it tough to find form since returning from international duty

Aubameyang's natural fitness levels as an elite athlete are believed to have helped him fend off the full effects of the condition, which normally wipes out most sufferers, for as long as he did.

Malaria, transmitted by infected mosquitos, has resulted in the deaths of billions of people and is the biggest killer disease in human history.

Every year between 300 and 500 million people are infected with the disease across the world, resulting in around one million deaths.

More than 90 per cent of cases of Malaria and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Symptoms of the condition include fever and an illness that feels to sufferers like flu as it can result in chills, head and muscle ache, tiredness and also seizures.

Those with malaria can also be hit by other symptoms including bouts of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.