Emergence of artemisinin resistance in southeast Asia poses a serious threat to the global control of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Discovery of the K13 marker has transformed approaches to the monitoring of artemisinin resistance, allowing introduction of molecular surveillance in remote areas through analysis of DNA. We aimed to assess the spread of artemisinin-resistant P falciparum in Myanmar … [Read more...]
Malaria in Myanmar (Burma)
QUESTION Is Malaria an issue in Myanmar where I am going in June? ANSWER from Malaria.com Editor YES. Malaria is a risk in all rural areas of the country below 1,000 meters of altitude (anything below 3300 feet). Rangoon/Yangon and Mandalay do not have malaria. You should take medication to prevent malaria (prophylaxis) throughout your stay, and also protect yourself from getting … [Read more...]
Chloroquine Resistant Malaria
QUESTION What is chloroquine resistant malaria? ANSWER Chloroquine-resistant malaria is exactly what it sounds like—particular types of malaria which are not cured by treatment with chloroquine. Chloroquine was first discovered in the 1930s in Germany and began to be widely used as an anti-malaria post-World War II, in the late 1940s. However, resistance to the drug also rapidly … [Read more...]
Of Macaques and Men
Plasmodium knowlesi —a new challenge in the Roll Back Malaria Program? Mention of malaria often conjures images of infants hospitalized in Africa. Although most deaths from malaria are children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa, there are many different types of malaria that put over half of the world’s population at risk in subtropical and tropical regions worldwide. There have historically … [Read more...]
Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Malaria in Pregnant Women on the Thai-Burmese Border
Background: Deworming is recommended by the WHO in girls and pregnant and lactating women to reduce anaemia in areas where hookworm and anaemia are common. There is conflicting evidence on the harm and the benefits of intestinal geohelminth infections on the incidence and severity of malaria, and consequently on the risks and benefits of deworming in malaria affected populations. We examined … [Read more...]