Complete Course of Anti-Malarial Drugs

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QUESTION

Hi, I am in Goa and so far have not been bitten by anything. I am taking anti malaria tablets which I do not like. My question is this. If I do not receive any bites do I need to complete the course when I get home?

ANSWER

It is always better to complete the course of anti-malarials, just in case you actually did get bitten but just did not notice it. However, in some cases, the side-effects of anti-malarials can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, so I understand your dilemma. Just remember that there is always a risk of contracting malaria if you stop your anti-malarials early.

We at MALARIA.com are very interesting in learning about people’s experiences with anti-malarial drugs. Please take a few minutes to complete our Malaria Survey. All answers are anonymous and we will post the results on MALARIA.com.

Do malarial drugs engender joint pains?

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QUESTION

I am now over 50 and I lived all my life in Africa during which time I have had a considerable incidences of malarial attacks. Each time I took any anti-malarial drug I experienced some side-effects including blurred vision, fatigue and joint pains. The pains especially have since become a permanent part of me and even severe enough to hamper my mobility. Does my condition sound to have any relationship with the several quantity and varieties of anti malarial drugs that I took almost all my life?

ANSWER

There are no known long-term side effects to taking modern anti-malarial drugs. However it could be that you have had a reaction or allergy to the specific kind of anti-malarials you have used in the past. For example, quinine sulphate is associated with joint pain in rare cases. However, in Africa these days, the World Health Organisation recommends only the use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs, such as Coartem) as the first-line treatment for malaria. The side effects of ACTs tend to be mild, and limited to nausea, dizziness and vomiting. As far as I am aware, joint pain and blurred vision have not been reported as side effects.

We at Malaria.com are very interested in hearing people’s experiences with antimalarial medication, so we would be very grateful if you would take the time to complete a survey on malaria treatment which we are running on the website. Thank you!

vomiting

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QUESTION

Is it normal to be vomiting after taking malaria tablets?

ANSWER

Side effects are generally rare with most malaria medication, though vomiting is one of the more common side effects that have been reported. We at MALARIA.com are very interested in hearing about people’s experiences with malaria medication, so please take our malaria survey. Many thanks for your time!

 

Lasting Headaches and Malaria

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QUESTION

I had malaria in July of 2011, returned to the U.S. in August, and had an occurrence of P. falciparum a little more than a month later. It was quickly treated, but I continue to get headaches. They occur about daily, and exercise induces a very severe headache. Is this a common lasting symptom of malaria?

ANSWER

Once successfully treated, malaria almost never has recurring or lasting side effects, nor are lasting headaches a known side effect of treatment with ACTs (artemisinin-based combination therapies, which is the recommended first-line treatment against P. falciparum). If your headaches are made worse through exertion, you should talk to your doctor about making sure they are not a symptom of a more serious condition.

Joint Pain and Malaria

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QUESTION

Could an onset of joint pain and swelling plus hurting all over be a residual for someone who has had malaria?

ANSWER

Once someone has been treated for malaria, they should not experience any further residual effects, particularly if the infection was uncomplicated and treated using oral medication. Joint pain, swelling and pain could well be indications of another infection, and so medical advice should be sought immediately.

Lariam Side Effects

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QUESTION

My son is playing tennis in Rwanda, Africa. He feels terrible and I suspect it may be the Lariam. He has a fever and has been seeing stuff like snakes, etc. I am very worried as there is no doctor nearby. Is there anything to do to help him? The last Lariam he took was on Saturday.

ANSWER

Certainly Lariam is associated with some severe side effects, which include hallucinations such as that which you describe. Unfortunately, the best way to deal with the side effects of Lariam is to stop taking the drug.

If your son decides to do this, I strongly suggest he looks into taking a different malaria prophylactic for the remainder of his trip in Rwanda—doxycycline is readily available from most pharmacies in the region and is very modestly priced. Your son will probably need to take one tablet (100mg) every day (if he is under 8 years old the dosing is slightly different) and should be continued for 4 weeks after he leaves the malarial area. Side effects to look out for include severe sun sensitivity, so he should be diligent with sun block if he starts taking doxycycline.

A more expensive alternative is Malarone, which is also harder to find in Africa, but which has milder side effects and only needs to be taken for a week after returning home.

We are always very interested in our readers’ experiences with malaria preventative drugs and treatment, and we actually have a survey about malaria prophylaxis up on our home page at the moment&mdsh;please have your son take our Malaria Survey when he gets a chance.

Quinine Side Effects

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QUESTION

What are the side effects of quinine?

ANSWER

The main side effect of quinine, in therapeutic doses, is cinchonism or quinism. This is a condition associated with a number of symptoms, including flushed/sweaty skin, tinnitus, confusion, headaches, and more.

Mild cinchonism should not be a reason to cease treatment with quinine, however. If injected into a nerve, quinine can cause paralysis, and is an extremely potent poison if overdosed. In some cases, quinine can lead to constipation, erectile dysfunction and/or diarrhea. There are few side effects associated with oral quinine.

If you have taken medications for malaria, please help Malaria.com by taking our Malaria Medication Side-effects Survey: Treatment and Prophylaxis. Thank you!

Malaria Medication Side Effects

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QUESTION

My mother is an old patient of arthritis. She has also had a long stint with asthma and tuberculosis. She has presently been diagnosed with urine infection but was treated with malaria medicines artesunate and primaquine phosphate.

What side effects could she possibly develop by wrong administration of malaria medicines?
ANSWER

Luckily there are few major side effects associated with either artesunate or primaquine. Mild side effects of the former include ones similar to malaria: nausea, headache, loss of appetite and vomiting. Side effects of primaquine are very similar to this, but can also include intense itching and anemia in some people (mainly of Mediterranean or African descent). The main thing to be aware of with primaquine is that it can be dangerous for people with G6DP deficiency, so patients should be tested for this before taking primaquine.

Side Effects of Treatment

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QUESTION

What are the probable side effects / reaction of “Artemether with Lumefantrine” to a 4.5 years, 5ml syrup, 2 doses – 0 & 8 hours?

ANSWER

Artermeter with Lumefantrine is often sold under the brand name “Coartem” and is widely distributed in areas of high P. falciparum prevalence, and particularly where known resistance to chloroquine occurs.

Coartem is also the drug of choice for the Roll Back Malaria programme. A study of 1332 children, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, revealed that few children experienced any side effects while taking Coartem, and of these, the vast majority of side effects were mild, did not prevent the child from continuing to take the medication, and were resolved.

The most common symptoms that were observed in children were pyrexia (fever), cough, vomiting, loss of appetite and headaches. Other, more clinically significant but also more rare, side effects which have been observed include tinnitus (ringing in the ears), blood disorders, problems sleeping, heart palpitations, mood swings, gastrointestinal upset, itchiness, back pain and vertigo.