Malaria is a disease passed through the bite of an infected mosquito and can be a dangerous parasitic disease to contract. Treatment is needed quickly to avoid escalation in seriousness, but the right treatment is key as there are a few factors that can impact its success.
Initial treatment for uncomplicated Malaria
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, the patient's resistance to medication and the type of mosquito the bite is from, will all impact which medication is likely to work best to fully treat malaria.
If uncomplicated malaria is diagnosed by a doctor, treatment usually includes one of the following:
- The most popular medication prescribed tends to be antimalarial with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). This treatment is where two drugs are administered to fight the parasite. Both drugs do this differently which can improve the chance of successful treatment.
- If the malaria infection is from Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale and the parasite itself is not resistant to it, Chloroquine is the drug of choice. Resistance to this medication is high in certain destinations, most notably Asia and Africa, so it may not work successfully in these instances.
We can prescribe recommended malaria prevention tablets from our travel clinic in Bucks.
Preventing drug resistance
Parasites are becoming resistant to medications that are widely used, and medical professionals are adopting ways to reduce this:
- Combination therapies, where more than one treatment is used, can increase the chance of destroying the parasite so it doesn't survive and become resistant.
- Using the full course of any treatment is essential. If patients feel better and don't take the treatment as advised, it may lead to resistant parasites in the future.
Treatment for severe Malaria
If severe malaria is diagnosed, this can be a life threatening and serious emergency situation. In this case, the patient will need to be treated in a hospital with IV medication.
- Where Plasmodium falciparum has caused the infection, Intravenous Artesunate tends to be the medication chosen as it targets the parasite in the bloodstream quickly.
- Further care in hospital for patients may be required in serious malaria infections. For example, blood transfusions, additional fluids or treatments for anaemia or kidney failure could be essential steps for helping a patient recover.
Follow-up
Once the infection has been treated and the patient feels better, it's important to continue to be aware of reinfection.
- The patient should monitor for any new onset of symptoms
- A new course of drugs may need to be prescribed if malaria doesn't clear up
From active preventative medication and safe travel steps to fast treatment if a malaria infection happens, you should have a safe and memorable trip to your destination of choice without worrying about your health.
Our chemists can prescribe drugs to prevent malaria, simply get in touch for a consultation and we will take care of everything for you.