Malaria

Question 1

What is malaria

Answer 1

-Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.

-The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person

Question 2

What are symptoms?

Answer 2

a high temperature
sweats and chills.
headaches and feeling confused.
feeling very tired and sleepy (especially in children)
feeling and being sick, tummy pain and diarrhoea.
loss of appetite.
muscle pains.
yellow skin or whites of the eyes.
a sore throat, cough and difficulty breathing.

Question 3

What are ways to prevent bites?

Answer 3

Anti malarials

use insect repellent on your skin – make sure it’s 50% DEET-based

(apply SPF 50 first as it can reduce spa)
sleep under mosquito nets treated with insecticide

wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers to cover your arms and legs in the evening, when mosquitos are most active

Question 4

Name the FIVE drugs used in antimalarial prophylaxis

Answer 4

1. Malarone (Atovaquone and proguanil)

2.Chloroquine

3. Chloroquine and proguanil
4. Mefloquine
5. Doxycycline

Question 5

What is treatment of malaria dependent on?

Answer 5

-species of Plasmodium parasite

-severity of infection

-tolerability of specific drugs

• patterns of drug resistance.

Question 6

How long is treatment for prophylaxis of malaria?

Answer 6

Malarone-1-2 days before and continued for 1 week after

Doxycyclines- 1-2 days before and 4 weeks after
Chloroquine- 1 week before and 4 weeks after
Mefloquine- 1 week before and 4 weeks after

Question 7

When can a patient safely know that they are unlikely to have gotten malaria?

Answer 7

3 months to a year
need to note that every illness that occur between then esp in first 3 months should be considered malaria

Question 8

What medications are NOTsuitable for patients with a history of epilepsy ?

Answer 8

Mefloquine
Chloroquine

Question 9

What medications can be given during pregnancy?

Answer 9

Chloroquine- declined efficacy recently but safest

Malarone in 2nd and 3rd trimester if no other suitable options

Give with folic acid

Question 10

What groups of people need to take extra precautions?

Answer 10

Patients o warfarin need to start 2-3 weeks prior and INR stable prior to departure
Measured 7 days before and after completion

Question 11

What is patient/carer advice?

Answer 11

Avoid mosquito bites
take regular prophylaxis
Immediate visit to doctor if ill with 3 months to 1 year of return