Diet During Malaria Episode

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QUESTION

What kind of diet should be followed by a malaria patient, specially when he is vomiting after every intake of food or liquid?

ANSWER
There are no specific diet specifications for people ill with malaria. Since many people feel nauseous and sick to their stomach (as you mentioned) while they are suffering from the disease, it may be hard to get people to eat anything at all.  However, it is very important that the patient takes in a lot of fluids (water, diluted juice, herbal tea) in order to keep from getting dehydrated.  If they are able to eat small amounts of food, that will also help to keep their strength up. Plain foods such as rice or dry toast may be the easiest for the person to digest, without feeling more nauseous.  It is especially important to continue feeding sick infants and children, as they can become dehydrated very quickly, leading to more complications.

Time Needed for Malarial Parasite to Develop in Mosquito

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QUESTION

How long must a malaria parasite grow in its host before it can be transmitted to humans?

ANSWER

The successful development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito (from the  “gametocyte” stage to the “sporozoite” stage) depends on several factors, but usually takes 10 – 18 days. The  most important is ambient temperature and humidity (higher temperatures  accelerate the parasite growth in the mosquito).

Positive RDT After Malaria Treatment

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QUESTION

I have Pv malaria repeated 2 times in two month then doctor give arthemether, lumefantrine tablet for three days twice in a day and primaquine tablet for 14 days..after this treatment malaria show positive on rapid test by a faint line….what is this?

ANSWER

It sounds like your doctor has treated you appropriately. What the line on the rapid test means depends a bit on the type of test it was. Some of these rapid tests look for parts of the malaria parasite which the body recognizes as causing disease (called antigens)—sometimes, these antigens can persist a bit in the body even after the malaria infection has been cured. Therefore, that could explain a slight positive result in a  rapid test soon after treatment. It will be important to follow this up with a second rapid test, maybe in a week, just to make sure you do not have an active infection. You should also be aware that Plasmodium vivax can remain dormant in the liver (primaquine is used to kill these dormant forms), and if primaquine treatment does not work, you will still be ay risk of relapse but you will not have any malaria parasites in the blood, and thus even a rapid test will be negative.

Dosage of Lumartem

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QUESTION

I am on lumartem treatment,  and was told to take four[4] tablets at a time twice a day;  but I see on leaflet two[2] tablet twice a day…..will it cause me any harm?

ANSWER

The dosage for Lumartem is by weight. For people weighing over 35 kg (77 pounds) the dosage is 4 tablets twice a day as you were prescribed.

Effects of Malaria on Brain

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QUESTION

Can malaria or the fever of malaria (or the medication) cause a teen to become depressed and suicidal 18 months on.

ANSWER

That is unlikely. Malaria, when treated, usually resolves completely, without any lingering effects. In some cases, people with severe cerebral malaria can have lasting neurological impacts, such as altered behaviour and difficulties with learning. Some studies have also shown that combat veterans who experienced cerebral malaria were more likely to suffer psychological effects after returning home, which included depression. However, again, a key feature of possible psychological conditions after malaria is that the patient experienced severe, cerebral, P. falciparum malaria. In other, non-complicated, cases of malaria, I have not found evidence for lasting psychological effects.

Is Malaria Transmitted by Female Mosquitoes?

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QUESTION

Is malaria caused by only female mosquitoes?

ANSWER

Malaria is only transmitted by female mosquitoes, yes. This is because only female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles (the genus that transmits malaria in mammals, including humans) feed on blood, and the parasite that causes malaria (called Plasmodium) spends part of its life cycle in the blood. Therefore, when a female mosquito feeds on an infected person, when she sucks up their blood, she also takes up some of the Plasmodium parasites. These parasites mature inside the mosquito, and then, when the mosquito goes to bite another person, she passes some of the mature Plasmodium parasites into that new person’s blood while she feeds. The Plasmodium parasites may then be able to undergo further development in the new host, which may lead to the person experiencing a malaria infection. So, while technically female mosquitoes don’t cause malaria (since the disease is caused by the Plasmodium parasite), female mosquitoes are required to pass it between one person and another.

Vivax or Falciparum Malaria?

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QUESTION:
I live in Pucallpa, Peru. I recently went on a trip to a remote jungle location in amazon jungle of Peru, and now I have malaria, but I’m not sure if it’s Vivax or falciparum. How could I know the difference? It seems like vivax is more common here in the jungle region of Peru, or am I wrong? Also, if it is Vivax, is Chloroquine with primaquine the best thing to take? I heard vivax is starting to develop a resistance to Chloroquine, but is there any evidence of a resistance to chloroquine + primaquine? Thanks.

ANSWER:
The symptoms of malaria infection with P. vivax vesus P. falciparum are similar. P. vivax has fewer severe complications and is almost never fatal. The two strains can be distinguished in the laboratory where the diagnosis of malaria is confirmed, either by their appearance under a microscope or by more sophisticated molecular approaches. In your region of South America, P. vivax is far more common that P. falciparum. Yes, there is a small risk of chloroquine resistance, but it is low in this region and the combination of chloroquine and primaquine remains a standard treatment. The combination of chloroquine plus primaquine helps overcome chloroquine resistance in P. vivax and P. falciparum. The primaquine is also effective in eliminating the form of vivax that can “hibernate” in the liver for months or years and resurface, causing relapse. Despite this, there are rare cases of relapse after a full course of standard chloroquine and primaquine and close medical follow up during and after treatment will be important.

Malaria Host Range

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QUESTION

What is a malaria host range?

ANSWER

Usually, a malaria host range refers to the natural geographical range of one of the hosts of a particular species of malaria. So, for example, Plasmodium reichenowi normally only infects chimpanzees. Chimpanzees live mainly in central and western Africa, so this would determine the host range for P. reichenowi. Other species of malaria, such as those that infect humans, have much larger host ranges, since humans live practically everywhere on the planet. In these cases, it is more likely that the range of that species of malaria is limited by climatic variables (malaria parasites require certain temperature ranges in which they are able to develop and mature) or the distribution of a suitable vector mosquito species, which also have climatic constraints.

Malaria or Flu?

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QUESTION

For the last couple of days I am suffering from all the symptoms that are mentioned on your website and I am taking tylenol for these symptoms thinking that it is flu but I am feeling better now. Should I still see a doctor or keep taking tylenol?

ANSWER

If you are no longer experiencing high fever, then it is likely just flu. However if you live in a malarial area and your symptoms persist, it would be worth seeing a doctor to get a malaria test, just to make sure you don’t require treatment.