Malaria : Study
The World Health Organization announced that it had given prequalification approval to a malaria treatment for newborns and infants for the first time.
- Malaria is a life-threatening febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites.
- It is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- It is not contagious, but can be spread through infected blood or contaminated needles.
- Risk: Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.
- Symptoms appear 10–15 days after infection and include fever, chills, and headache.
- Severe symptoms can include seizures, difficulty breathing, jaundice, dark urine, and death if untreated.
- Prevention includes vector control, use of mosquito nets, repellents (DEET, IR3535, Icaridin), long-sleeved clothing, and chemoprophylaxis for travellers.
- Early diagnosis and treatment using microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are critical.
- Treatments include:
- ACTs (Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies) for P. falciparum.
- Chloroquine for P. vivax
- Primaquine to prevent relapses in P. vivax and P. ovale infections.
