Last Updated on December 2, 2022 by Shabnam Sengupta
Malaria is a tropical disease. Plasmodium falciparum is the most common cause of the condition. The organism has the ability to invade a high proportion of red blood cells, resulting in severe or life-threatening multi-organ disease. Treatment of malaria usually depends on the correct diagnosis and the completion of the necessary diagnostic tests. Additionally, for severe infections, a combination of antibiotics and traditional anti-malarial therapy can treat malaria. This compilation emphasises the importance of anti-malarial therapy, in addition to antibiotics and preventive measures, in the management of malaria.
Are anti-malarial medications antibiotics?
No, anti-malarial medications are not antibiotics. For hundreds of years, quinine has been the first-line treatment for falciparum malaria. In recent years, artesunate has emerged as a highly effective alternative to quinine in the treatment of malaria, particularly that caused by falciparum malaria. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has now become the treatment of choice for uncomplicated falciparum malarial infection. Antibiotic-based combination therapy, on the other hand, is typically used for severe malaria infections. This ABC therapy enables administering a standardised intravenous combination of an anti-malarial antibiotic and a traditional anti-malarial, such as quinine or artesunate.
Can malaria be treated with antibiotics?
Yes, several antibiotic classes have been shown to have anti-malarial activity. Since many of these antibiotics have been well studied, tolerated, and approved for use in humans, they offer an appealing alternative for the treatment of simple falciparum malaria. The most commonly used antibiotic combination therapy is quinine combined with tetracycline or doxycycline. Furthermore, antibiotic combination therapy is widely used because several Southeast Asian countries have a high prevalence of multidrug resistance. Anti-malarial antibiotics, including azithromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline, have been shown to be highly effective and generally well tolerated. Tetracyclines, on the other hand, are not safe to use in children or pregnant women, who are the most vulnerable to severe malaria.
Is it possible to prevent malaria?
Yes. Malaria infections could be avoided by using prescribed topical medications, protective clothing, insecticides, and insecticide-treated bed nets to protect people from mosquito bites. Preventive medication can also be taken before, during, and after visiting a high-risk area.
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