Maleriya debases treatment medicine
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Malaria (Malaria) - Disease Treatment
Overview of Malaria Species
Malaria is caused by five Plasmodium species that infect humans:
- P. falciparum - most dangerous, causes severe/cerebral malaria
- P. vivax - forms hypnozoites (liver dormant stage), can relapse
- P. ovale - also forms hypnozoites, relapse possible
- P. malariae - milder, no relapses from liver
- P. knowlesi - zoonotic, treated like falciparum
1. Uncomplicated Malaria Treatment
P. falciparum (and P. knowlesi)
First-line: Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy (ACT)
The WHO recommends ACT as first-line treatment for all uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria worldwide. ACT pairs a fast-acting artemisinin derivative with a longer-acting partner drug:
| ACT Regimen | Artemisinin Component | Partner Drug | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem) | Artemether | Lumefantrine | Most widely used globally |
| Artesunate + Amodiaquine | Artesunate | Amodiaquine | Used in Africa |
| Artesunate + Mefloquine | Artesunate | Mefloquine | SE Asia |
| Artesunate + Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (AS+SP) | Artesunate | SP | India (standard); replaced by AL in NE states due to SP resistance |
| Dihydroartemisinin + Piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) | Dihydroartemisinin | Piperaquine | Asia |
India-specific (National Program): ACT (Artesunate 3 days + Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine 1 day) + single dose Primaquine 0.75 mg/kg on Day 2 for all confirmed P. falciparum. In NE states (due to SP resistance): Artemether 20 mg + Lumefantrine 120 mg (co-formulated tablet). - Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine
Artemisinin monotherapy is banned - it promotes resistance development.
P. vivax, P. ovale (Chloroquine-Sensitive Areas)
- Chloroquine 25 mg/kg divided over 3 days (blood stage)
- + Primaquine 0.25 mg/kg/day x 14 days - to eliminate hypnozoites and prevent relapse
Caution with Primaquine: Contraindicated in G6PD-deficient patients (causes hemolytic anemia), infants, and pregnant women. Always screen for G6PD deficiency before use. Watch for: dark urine, jaundice, cyanotic lips, abdominal pain - stop immediately if these appear. - Park's Textbook
Chloroquine-resistant P. vivax (parts of Indonesia, Oceania, SE Asia, South/Central America): Use ACT instead.
P. malariae
- Chloroquine alone (no hypnozoites, no relapse from liver)
- No primaquine needed for radical cure
Mixed Infections (P. falciparum + P. vivax)
- Treat as falciparum malaria (ACT covers both species)
2. Severe/Complicated Malaria Treatment
Criteria for Severe Malaria (Any one feature = severe):
| Feature | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Impaired consciousness / coma | - |
| Repeated generalized convulsions | - |
| Renal failure | Serum creatinine >3 mg/dL |
| Jaundice | Serum bilirubin >3 mg/dL |
| Severe anaemia | Hb <5 g/dL |
| Pulmonary oedema / ARDS | - |
| Hypoglycaemia | Plasma glucose <40 mg/dL |
| Metabolic acidosis | - |
| Circulatory collapse / shock | Systolic BP <80 mmHg (adults), <50 mmHg (children) |
| Abnormal bleeding / DIC | - |
| Haemoglobinuria | - |
| Hyperthermia | >106°F / 42°C |
| Hyperparasitaemia | >5% parasitized RBCs (low endemic), >10% (hyperendemic) |
Drug of Choice: Parenteral Artesunate
In large RCTs, IV artesunate reduced mortality by 35% in Asian adults/children and 22.5% in African children compared to quinine. Artesunate is now the drug of choice for ALL patients with severe malaria. - Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 22nd Ed.
Regimen:
- IV/IM Artesunate - given immediately upon diagnosis (do not wait for lab results)
- Once the patient can take oral medications, complete treatment with a full course of ACT
- Quinine (IV/IM): alternative if artesunate unavailable; given with doxycycline/tetracycline/clindamycin
Before transfer/referral: Give a pre-referral dose of parenteral artemisinin derivative or quinine (whichever is available), take blood smear and RDT.
3. Special Populations
Pregnancy
| Trimester | P. falciparum | P. vivax |
|---|---|---|
| 1st trimester | Quinine (ACT avoided) | Chloroquine |
| 2nd & 3rd trimesters | ACT | Chloroquine |
- Primaquine is contraindicated in all trimesters
- Severe malaria in pregnancy: IV artesunate per general guidelines (weigh risks)
- Breastfeeding: Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine preferred; atovaquone-proguanil only if infant >5 kg with normal G6PD
Children
- Same drug classes as adults; doses are weight-based
- Pediatric dose should never exceed adult dose
- Tetracycline/doxycycline: avoid in children <8 years (except emergencies)
- Atovaquone-proguanil as treatment: approved only for children >5 kg
- Malnourished/younger children require higher weight-adjusted doses
4. Drug Resistance
- Chloroquine resistance in P. falciparum: Widespread globally (except Central America, Haiti, Middle East)
- Artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum: Emerged in SE Asia (Greater Mekong Subregion) in late 2000s; now spreading to East Africa - major emerging threat
- Molecular markers: Pfkelch13 mutations (artemisinin resistance), Pfcrt mutations (chloroquine), Pfpm1/2 amplification (piperaquine), Pfmdr1 amplification (mefloquine)
- ACT treatment failure (no response within 72 hours despite full course + no vomiting/diarrhea): Switch to oral quinine + tetracycline/doxycycline
- Proposed solution for resistance: Triple ACTs (two slowly-eliminated partner drugs) are being evaluated
Falsified or substandard antimalarial drugs are sold in many Asian and African countries and may cause treatment failures. - Harrison's 22E
5. Key Antimalarial Drug Summary
| Drug Class | Drugs | Mechanism | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artemisinins | Artesunate, Artemether, DHA | Free radical generation via endoperoxide bridge | Backbone of ACT; fastest parasite clearance |
| 4-Aminoquinolines | Chloroquine, Amodiaquine | Heme polymerization inhibition | Vivax/ovale/malariae; partner drug in ACT |
| Amino alcohols | Mefloquine, Lumefantrine | Heme metabolism disruption | Partner drugs in ACT |
| Antifolates | Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine, Proguanil | DHFR/DHPS inhibition | Partner drugs (resistance spreading) |
| 8-Aminoquinolines | Primaquine, Tafenoquine | Mitochondrial disruption | Radical cure of vivax/ovale; gametocytocidal |
| Naphthoquinone | Atovaquone (+ Proguanil = Malarone) | Mitochondrial electron transport | Treatment + prophylaxis; not in pregnancy |
| Antibiotics | Doxycycline, Tetracycline, Clindamycin | Protein synthesis inhibition | Used as partner drugs in quinine regimen |
6. Chemoprophylaxis (Prevention for Travelers)
- Atovaquone-Proguanil (Malarone): Daily, start 1-2 days before travel, stop 7 days after
- Doxycycline: Daily; start 1-2 days before, stop 4 weeks after
- Mefloquine: Weekly; start 2-3 weeks before, stop 4 weeks after
- Chloroquine: Only for chloroquine-sensitive areas (limited use now)
Self-treatment abroad: If reliable diagnosis unavailable, presumptive self-treatment with atovaquone-proguanil is recommended (seek medical attention as soon as possible).
Sources: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 22E (2025) | Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics | Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine | Katzung's Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 16th Ed. | Goldman-Cecil Medicine
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