QUESTION What are some traditional treatments for malaria? ANSWER Many different cultures have had their own traditional ways of treating malaria. Perhaps the two best known come from the native tribes in the Western Amazon basin and the ancient Chinese. Tribes in the Amazon used the bark of a shrub called Cinchona to treat fevers and shivering; Spanish priests in this region observed … [Read more...]
Drug Resistance May Make Malaria Parasite Less Resistant to Other Substances
Malaria parasites that develop resistance to the most effective class of anti-malarial drugs may become susceptible to other treatments as a result. The discovery could reveal potential new drug options, which would be essential in the event of resistance to the best anti-malarials. In a new study, researchers have shown how the anti-malarials artemisinins attack the malaria parasite by … [Read more...]
Symptoms of Malaria but Tests Negative
QUESTION My sister has been suffering from fever from past 22 days temperature varying from 102-106 with chills shivering, headache, body pain,nausea and muscle ache but tested negative for malaria. She also tested negative for dengue, swine flu, hiv, and many others. So out of frustration we gave her mefloc 250 and she seems to be responding. She is still having fever that is after 12 hrs of … [Read more...]
Falciparum Long-term Outcomes
QUESTION My husband was admitted to ICU for 22% falciparum parasite load (with some mild kidney and liver failure, as well as low blood pressure) after being overseas two weeks earlier. They treated him with IV artesunate and oral Malarone and an exchange transfusion, and discharged him after a week, as his kidneys had improved and so had his blood pressure, and he wasn't yellow anymore. He … [Read more...]
Favism (G6PD Deficiency) and Malaria
QUESTION My son has Favism (G6PD deficient). He is going to stay for 2 years in Chad (malaria-endemic country). It is contraindicated for him to take antimalarial drugs. What can we do if he gets a malaria infection? One physician said that he can use Artelum (Artemether + Lumefantrine) for protection. Is it a right prescription? ANSWER Yes, you are correct that Primaquine (which along … [Read more...]
Medicine for Malaria
QUESTION is rotam and maladar malaria medicine? ANSWER I have never heard of Rotam, but Maladar is the brand name of a combination sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, and is used to treat malaria. However, it should be noted that it is not recommended by the World Health Organization as a first-line treatment option, due to concerns about drug resistance, and also lack of efficacy against certain … [Read more...]
Malaria Medication During Breast Feeding
QUESTION I am a breast-feeding mother, and I am on the lumartem dosage. Will this affect my baby? He is 9 months old. ANSWER The US Center for Disease Control says that it is safe for a breastfeeding mother to take lumfartem if the baby is over 5 kilos (or 11 pounds). Since your baby is 9 months old, he should weigh more than 5 kg so you should be fine. If you have any questions you … [Read more...]
Malaria Diagnosis
QUESTION My body is getting hotter after taking artesunate and mtivitamen tablet, the pain subsides, but later in the evening my body starts getting hotter, I have taken almost four artesunate, yet the body pain and headache refuse to go, pls sir is it malaria or what. ANSWER Unfortunately the symptoms of malaria are quite general, and just having a fever could be a sign of malaria but … [Read more...]
Trophozoites of Plasmodium Vivax
QUESTION What should I take in this condition? After treatment I came to know that Rechocin should be taken for 6 months 2 weekly. ANSWER I am not sure I understand your question, but if you have been diagnosed with trophozoites of Plasmodium vivax in your blood, then you can be treated with normal anti-malarials (the World Health Organization recommends artemisinin-based combination … [Read more...]
Doxycycline After Malaria Diagnosis
QUESTION My daughter is 24 and in rural Uganda for 4 months. She has been diagnosed with malaria (plasmodium falciparum) and is taking treatment now. Treatment is 3 tablets of Neosidar tablets contain of sulfadoxine BP and of pyrimethamine followed tonight and for the next 3 days by 4 tablets of Lumarten in the morning and at bedtime with milk. Lumarten is a mix of artemether and lumefantrine. … [Read more...]