QUESTION Hi , am 31 weeks pregnant and had to take Malareich as my Anti malaria drug. I did not take the drug until I felt I had malaria, because I had body pains and headaches. Please advise if I will be ok after taking the malareich. ANSWER Malareich is a combination drug comprising of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine, which is one of the medications recommended for treatment of malaria in … [Read more...]
malaria background
QUESTION where did malaria come from? ANSWER Malaria is a disease caused by a single-celled parasite called Plasmodium. There are many species of Plasmodium, which infect many other animals as well as humans. The types of malaria which infect humans probably evolved from similar Plasmodium species in monkeys and apes; for example, P. vivax is closely related to several species of malaria … [Read more...]
Antimalarial Drugs During pPregnancy
QUESTION What is the safest antimalarial drug to be used by a pregnant woman in her second trimester? ANSWER With regards to treating malaria, intravenous artesunate (or quinine, if artesunate is not available) should be used for the treatment of severe/complicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Signs of severe and/or complicated malaria include impaired consciousness, organ failure, … [Read more...]
Newly Sequenced Malaria Genomes Show Genetic Variability
Genetic variability revealed in malaria genomes newly sequenced by two multi-national research teams points to new challenges in efforts to eradicate the parasite, but also offers a clearer and more detailed picture of its genetic composition, providing an initial roadmap in the development of pharmaceuticals and vaccines to combat malaria. The research appears in two studies published in the … [Read more...]
About Malaria Proteins
QUESTION Please tell about about malarial causitive proteins. ANSWER I'm not sure what your question is, as malaria is not caused by a protein, but rather by a single-celled parasite called Plasmodium, which contains many different types of proteins. Some of these are indeed used for entering host cells and thus causing disease. Many of these proteins, and particularly ones on the surface … [Read more...]
Malaria Prophylaxis for Indonesia
QUESTION I have been working a 4-week rotation between the USA and East Kalimantan (Borneo) for about 2 years. While on Borneo, I am in the jungle much of the time. I have never contracted malaria. I am embarrassed to say I thought I had been inoculated for malaria when I first started working here. I just spent 10 days in a hospital last month fighting a blood degenerating viral infection not … [Read more...]
Recurrence of Malaria Symptoms
QUESTION If a person suffering from malaria is given the proper treatment and he gets well but he again develops the symptoms of malaria..? These symptoms would arise from liver or blood? Who'll be responsible for the recurrence of the symptoms? ANSWER Malaria can come back in three ways: first of all, the person could have been successfully treated, but then re-infected again by being … [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...]
New Malaria Parasites
QUESTION I heard researchers have found a new malaria parasite—what is the name? ANSWER New malaria parasites are found quite regularly—the parasite that causes malaria, Plasmodium, actually infects birds, reptiles, rodents and non-human primates like monkeys and apes as well as humans. As such, non-human forms of malaria are discovered relatively frequently in other species. … [Read more...]
How is Malaria Prevented?
QUESTION What are the methods to prevent malaria? ANSWER Malaria prevention consists of a combination of mosquito avoidance measures and chemoprophylaxis. Although very efficacious, none of the recommended interventions are 100% effective. Mosquito Avoidance Measures Because of the nocturnal feeding habits of Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria transmission occurs primarily between dusk … [Read more...]