Malaria Support Group

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium (phylum Apicomplexa): P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax. Their primary hosts and transmission vectors are female mosquitos of genus Anopheles; humans act as intermediate hosts. The P. falciparum variety of the parasite accounts for 80% of cases and 90% of deaths. Children under the age of five and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to the severe forms of malaria.

Symptoms of malaria include fever, shivering, arthralgia (joint pain), vomiting, anaemia caused by haemolysis, haemoglobinuria, and convulsions. There may be the feeling of tingling in the skin, particularly with malaria caused by P. falciparum. Consequences of infection with malaria include coma and death if untreated—young children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable. Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), severe headache, cerebral ischemia and hemoglobinuria with renal failure may occur.

There are several families of drugs used to treat malaria. Chloroquine was the antimalarial drug of choice for many years in most parts of the world. However, resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine has spread recently from Asia to Africa, making the drug ineffective against the most dangerous Plasmodium strain in many affected regions of the world.

There are several other substances which are used for treatment and, partially, for prevention (prophylaxis). Many drugs can be used for both purposes; larger doses are used to treat cases of malaria. Their deployment depends mainly on the frequency of resistant parasites in the area where the drug is used.