Principles of treatment of malaria

The principles of malaria treatment are very important. The sooner the treatment, the right medicine, the right dose, and the right time, will prevent complications and recurrence of the disease.

Malaria incubation period from being bitten by an infected mosquito to showing clinical manifestations depends on the type of parasite:
Plasmodium falciparum infection is from 9-14 days, an average of 12 days. Plasmodium vivax infection lasts from 12 to 17 days, an average of 14 days. Infection with Plasmodium malariae from 20 days to many months. Infection with Plasmodium ovale from 11 days to 10 months. Malaria infection caused by blood transfusion, the incubation period depends on the number of parasites in the blood transmitted, the incubation period is short, about a few days. According to the classification of malaria, malaria symptoms in Vietnam are divided into 2 clinical levels:
Common malaria:
Primary fever: high fever continuously for several days. Typical fever: The typical malaria fever goes through 3 stages including: chills (lasting about 30 minutes - 2 hours); hot fever (body temperature can reach 40 degrees C - 41 degrees C, red face, hot dry skin, rapid breathing, headache, lasts about 1-3 hours); sweating (body temperature drops rapidly, sweating, patient feels good). Truncated fever: fever without episodes, only chills, lasting about 1-2 hours. The healthy body carries the infection: blood test has parasites but no fever. The cycle of fever varies according to the type of parasite that causes the disease: Plasmodium falciparum fever: daily fever, severe fever, or causes severe malaria. Fever caused by Plasmodium vivax: 1 fever every day. Fever caused by Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale: fever every other day or fever every 3 days.

Malignant malaria :
Cerebral form (accounting for 80-95% of malignant malaria): Confusion disorder, persistent high fever, headache, vomiting or diarrhea, coma, convulsions, sphincter disorders , dilated pupils, respiratory disturbance or respiratory failure due to cerebral edema, or increased blood pressure. Renal failure, oliguria or anuria may occur. Hemoglobinuria: severe fever, dry vomiting or yellow discharge, back pain. Jaundice, mucous membranes due to hemolysis. Urine gradually decreases, reddish brown then turns to coffee color. Anemia and acute hypoxia. Cold body: Cold body, low blood pressure, sweating and headache. Pulmonary form: Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, cyanosis. Hepatobiliary system: Jaundice of the skin and eyes, nausea and vomiting. Colored stools and urine. Comatose. Digestive system: Abdominal pain, vomiting, acute diarrhea, hypothermia. Malaria in children: Children over 6 months old are susceptible to malaria because they no longer have immunity from their mothers and hemoglobin F. Children with malaria often have high or fluctuating fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, meningeal signs and convulsions. High mortality rate.

When noticing the initial symptoms of malaria, patients are often very worried and do not know what to do when they have malaria? What to do with fever?
Accordingly, the first thing that people with malaria need to do is absolutely not self-treat at home, but need to go to medical facilities for diagnosis and treatment, to avoid the case of infection to people. Besides, if the disease condition is prolonged and does not improve, dangerous and potentially fatal complications will appear for the patient.
In the treatment of malaria, the principles of treatment are as follows:
Early treatment: Recognize early signs of disease to be treated as soon as possible, as soon as symptoms appear (children within 12 years of age). hours, adults within 24 hours). Treat with the right drug, at the right dose, with the right time (according to the right regimen). Make sure that the patient is able to take and take the required dose of medication. Anti-contagious and anti-relapse therapy (killing dormant cells in the liver with Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale). Closely monitor treatment results to take timely and appropriate measures.

People with malaria should not self-treat at home, need to go to medical facilities to be examined, diagnosed and prescribed appropriate medicine. So, what drugs do you take for malaria to treat the disease? Accordingly, the drugs to treat the disease are mainly to help reduce malaria and depend on the type of parasite that causes the disease, the infected area...
3.1. Treatment of common malaria Treatment of fever:
Plasmodium vivax infection: Chloroquine total dose 25mg/kg body weight divided into 3 treatment days. Or artesunate total dose 16 mg/kg body weight divided into 7 days of treatment (do not use artesunate for pregnant women in the first 3 months except in case of severe malaria). Or Quinine sulfate dose 30 mg/kg/24 hours divided into 3 times a day, treatment for 7 days. Plasmodium falciparum infection: Combination drug with artemisinin derivative (not for pregnant women in the first 3 months. Anti-relapse and spread:
Primaquine 13.2mg tablet containing 7.5mg base (do not use primaquine for children) children under 3 years old, pregnant women, people with liver disease and people with G6PD deficiency) Dosage: 0.5mg base/kg body weight/ 24 hours.

3.2. Treatment of severe malaria, Artesunate intravenously: 2.4 mg/kg body weight in the first hour, 1.2 mg/kg body weight in 24 hours, then 1 dose of 1.2 mg/kg every day. weight until the patient can drink, then switch to oral medication for a full 7 days.
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SEE ALSO:
Tests for malaria parasites Diagnosing cerebral malignant malaria Identify signs of malignant malaria