QUESTION: Does one need to have a normal result in G6PD screening before he can take Malarial pills? ANSWER: In some cases, yes. When a patient has been diagnosed with Plasmodium ovale or Plasmodium vivax infection, in addition to medication such as chloroquine to target the blood stages of the parasite, an additional drug, called primaquine, may also be required. Primaquine kills the … [Read more...]
Malaria Prevention
Malaria prevention consists of a combination of mosquito avoidance measures and chemoprophylaxis. Although very efficacious, none of the recommended interventions are 100% effective. Mosquito Avoidance Measures Because of the nocturnal feeding habits of Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria transmission occurs primarily between dusk and dawn. Contact with mosquitoes can be reduced by … [Read more...]