QUESTION Which drug should be given to a p.vivax malaria patient with deficient glucose 6-phosphate for prevention of relapse? ANSWER Unfortunately, primaquine is the only drug that is known to kill the latent liver stages of P. vivax and P. ovale. Since it can induce haemolysis in people with G6DP deficiency, this drug is usually not recommended for people with this deficiency. However, … [Read more...]
Malaria Treatments
QUESTION What are the of different types of antimalaria drugs? ANSWER Most drugs used in treatment are active against the parasite forms in the blood (the form that causes disease) and include: chloroquine atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone®) artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem®) artesunate-pyronaridine (Pyramax®) dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (Duo-Cotecxin®) mefloquine … [Read more...]
Malaria Drugs Side Effects
QUESTION I was affected by malaria 5 months back. I am feeling tiered and weakness and heart trembling symptoms. Any suggestions to overcome weakness? ANSWER Your fatigue is probably not caused by the treatment—one of the potential residual effects of malaria infection is iron deficiency, which can lead to anaemia, and this can cause tiredness. Eating iron-rich foods or asking … [Read more...]
How Long for Malaria Medication to Start Working?
QUESTION After I treat my body with the malaria pill how long will it be to start working in my body? ANSWER The malaria medication will start working almost immediately after you take it. The way in which malaria pills work differ depending on the type of drug you are taking, but most act on the parasites which infect red blood cells in your body. As soon as the parasite's life cycle in … [Read more...]
Malaria Testing
QUESTION My daughter is in Kigoma, Tanzania and has the symptoms of Malaria. She was given Duo Cotecxin and it seems to have started making her feel better. But after reading up on all the different types of Malaria parasites I am wondering if a blood test reading at a clinic would be recommended or is it too late for an accurate reading now that she is on meds? ANSWER I am always very … [Read more...]
How can I get malaria pills?
QUESTION I do have symptoms of severe malaria. How can I get malarial pills in Holland? I went to the hospital the doctors said nothing is wrong with me which is not true. ANSWER If you have the symptoms of severe malaria (high fever, chills, nausea, body aches) then you should go to an emergency room at a hospital immediately. Malaria infection can be very serious if not treated … [Read more...]
Celebral Malaria and Blindness
QUESTION I live in Nigeria. Good friend of mine complained of headaches in Dec 2011. Did an MRI went to Germany had a general check up. Back in Nigeria in January, headaches increase, she gets blind in one eye, following day the other eye, now in Germany where they have induced her into a coma. They said that she got a brain Haemorrage from the malaria. Can malaria bring blindness. What are the … [Read more...]
Malaria Recurrence and Treatment
QUESTION Since September 2011 I had malaria falciparum. The first medication I took was Coartem, after 2 weeks I had the same symptoms then the test was +1.5 ,i took Coartem again. 2 weeks after the doctor gave me Malarone ,then 19 days it come back . the doc. gave me Quinine -tablets without doxycycline. but no thing change. Until now each 14-25 days the malaria comes back, I ask my doctor … [Read more...]
P. Falciparum Malaria Treatment
QUESTION I dont have high fever yet have been diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria. How can this disease be treated and is it completely curable? ANSWER Don't worry, if diagnosed early and given appropriate treatment, P. falciparum infection is very easily cured. You should be given a type of medication called artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). An example is Coartem, which is a … [Read more...]
Cyclical Fever and Malaria Symptoms
QUESTION My dad is not well from last one month. In the evening time he feels headache, neck pain and 102 Temp. Can you please tell me can it be Malaria. ANSWER Those symptoms can be characteristic of malaria—cyclical fever is a key symptom, though usually the cycles are every other day or even every third day (depending on the type of malaria). However, in some cases the cycles … [Read more...]