QUESTION I believe my fiance who lives in Kenya has malaria but refuses to go for a test. She has headaches and now flu like symptoms. I am returning in late December, if the symptoms have gone can I still take her for a blood test to see if malaria is still present even if the symptoms subside? ANSWER Most malaria diagnosis in Kenya is done by looking at a small sample of the patient's … [Read more...]
Malaria and the Brain
QUESTION How long does it take malaria to reach your brain? ANSWER The process by which malaria affects the brain is complicated, and the amount of time also varies. First of all, only one species of malaria parasite is associated with the brain - this is Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly form of malaria. It is dangerous because when it infects red blood cells, it makes them … [Read more...]
Slight Malaria
QUESTION Does "slight malaria" mean you have malaria? ANSWER You have malaria if you are infected with the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. However, having a few of the parasites does not mean you experience symptoms of the disease. Some forms of malaria, like P. malariae, can persist in a patient without causing any symptoms. However, in some cases, particularly P. falciparum … [Read more...]
Recovery Time
QUESTION My friend was diagnosed with P. Falciparum today. She was suffering from high fever, shivering and all the symptoms related to Malaria. She is now hospitalized after 1 week of these symptoms and her medication has started. I know this malaria is dangerous. Can you please tell me how much time it would take to be in the normal state and time to recover? Do reply, I'm waiting for your … [Read more...]
Malaria in Burkina Faso
QUESTION (1)What drug is administered in the first 24 hours after malaria symptoms onset. What side effects have this/these drugs. (2) I it is not possible to reach a treatment facility etc until 7 days after initial chills, fever etc and there are no symptoms remaining other than tiredness what is the drug of choice?. Local people say it is malaria but there is no diagnostic facility near … [Read more...]
Antimalarial Drug Therapeutic Life
QUESTION Why do some antimalarial drugs have long therapeutic life while others have short therapeutic lives? ANSWER Different anti-malarial drugs target slightly different aspects of the malaria Plasmodium parasite, and so are made with different chemical structures. The differences in therapeutic life across different malaria drugs has to do with the specific pharmacokinetic … [Read more...]
My Malaria Refuses to Go Away
QUESTION The symptoms started about 2 months ago and I have used all kind of drugs. I have completed lumartem dose twice and I have used Coartem, I even took chloroquine injection and I am well for a few days and it comes back to the way it use to be, because of so many antibiotics I have taken I now have swellings in my body and in my leg and its making my leg ache and making walking … [Read more...]
How soon can I take Coartem if I suspect Malaria?
QUESTION Does one have to wait for the symptoms of Malaria to show before taking Coartem? Will the Coartem still be effective in killing the malaria before it has entered the red blood cells and the fever has broken? ANSWER I believe that Coartem is only effective against the blood form of the parasite, hence why it is not effective in treating the liver forms of Plasmodium vivax and … [Read more...]
Can malaria affect one’s mental fitness?
QUESTION Can malaria affect ones mental fitness? ANSWER Given that malaria is often associated with severe fever and flu-like illness, I would say that is usually enough to prevent someone from feeling completely mentally fit! However, in addition to these general symptoms, there are other specific ways in which malaria can affect a patient's mind. With a particular type of malaria, … [Read more...]
Cyclical Fever
QUESTION My husband has been suffering from recurring fever every 3rd or 4th day for the past 7 months. All blood tests are normal, esr ,crp, cultures of urine and blood all normal, chest ct full body pet heart echo all normal. Tested positive for montoux and quantiferon gold, with no symptom other than fever, was put on ATT on 4th JULY 2011 fever persists with no other symptoms. Has been on … [Read more...]