Maleria treatment - Chloroquine, Quinine sulfate, Hydroxychloroquine, Mefloquine (Lariam)

TREATMENT FOR MALERIA

Treatment for Maleria caused by P.falciparum requires hospitalization. Doctors can treat P. vivax, P. ovale or P. Maleriae infected persons as outpatients. If properly treated, one can be completely cured of maleria. There are several kinds of medicines used to cure Maleria.

Chloroquine

This solution remained the best solution for maleria until recently as it was effective and cheap. But it has been seen that Plasmodium falciparum has become resistant to this in many affected areas of the world.

Quinine sulfate

For chloroquine resistant Maleria, Quinine sulfate plus another medication can be used. It is effective against all species of Plasmodium.

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaque nil)

This is also one of the antimalarials which are effective against Meleria. Doctors prescribe this as a drug to treat acute attack of maleria.

Combination of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine (Fansidar)

This is a medication used for protozoal infections. This acts as an antiMalerial drug for both treatment and prevention of malaria.

Mefloquine (Lariam)

Lariam is an orally administered antiMalerial. It is used as prophylaxis against and treatment for malaria. The chemical name for this is mefloquine hydrochloride. It is used in the treatment of chloroquine –resistant falciparum Maleria.

Combination of atovaquone and proguanil (Malarone)

The combination of these two anti-malaria agents helps to prevent the replication of Maleria inside and outside the red blood cell. This medication must be taken daily.

Doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin, others)

Doxycycline is a member of the tetracycline antibiotics which is used as a treatment for Maleria.

Halofantrine is also used in the treatment of chloroquine-resistant and multi-drug resistant P.falciparum Maleria which are not complicated.

The antimalarials mentioned above reduce the illness of Maleria and cures the patient completely. Maleria should be treated urgently to avoid complications.