QUESTION What are the long term and short term effects of malaria in brief please? ANSWER The symptoms of malaria as an acute infection vary somewhat depending on the type of malaria, but usual signs include high fever (often in a cyclical pattern, with fever one day, then no fever for one or two days, then a recurrence of fever), chills, body aches and nausea. For Plasmodium … [Read more...]
Child with Fever – Malaria Symptoms?
QUESTION Three yrs old boy having fever every 20 days for past 5 times. Remains for 2-3 days. Can it be malaria? Never got blood tested. ANSWER Recurrence of malaria every 20 days is not that common, but could be caused by two different events: (1) true relapse, whereby the boy is infected with either Plasmosium vivax or Plasmodium ovale, and the parasite is disappearing from his blood … [Read more...]
I am getting malaria every 6 months
QUESTION: I am getting malaria every six months, after taken chloroquine medicine tablets. Is this normal,when my resistance is low, or is it coming aging, is there any medicine to clear the malaria? ANSWER: While taking chloroquine can be used to treat malaria, it will not prevent re-infection, unfortunately. One thing to check though is whether you are living in an area where the local … [Read more...]
Will malaria come back?
QUESTION: As a result of a blood test I have just been informed that at some time I have had malaria. Though I have no idea when this was. I once was ill for 4 days with what I thought was flu and that is the only occasion I can remember. Therefore I have never been treated for malaria. Could you please tell me if there is any chance the disease will come back. ANSWER: That will … [Read more...]
Illness from Uganda trip
QUESTION: I just came back from a visit to Uganda Africa. I was unable to take Malarone as I had bad side effects. Vomiting. I was only exposed once when we walked into a swampy rain forest. This of-course was the only day I did not have repellent. We were taking the kids on a nature walk and the German volunteer got a little lost. I ran as fast as could out of the area. Started to feel tired … [Read more...]
Primaquine for Malaria Treatment
QUESTION: In India what is the duration of primaquine therapy in confirmed Malaria infection? ANSWER: Primaquine is usually used to kill the hypnozoite stages of Plasmodium vivax or P. ovale. This life stage of the malaria parasite can reside, dormant in the liver's hepatocyte cells, even after the patient has completed the normal course of treatment for the infection; at this stage, the … [Read more...]