Treatment of Malaria (Guidelines for Clinicians)
This material provides a perspective from a country where local malaria transmission was eliminated many years ago; however, many of the principles are relevant to endemic countries and to countries that are attempting to eliminate malaria.
Treatment varies according to the infecting species, the geographic area where the infection was acquired, and the severity of the disease. Treatment for malaria should not be initiated until the diagnosis has been confirmed by laboratory investigations. "Presumptive treatment" without the benefit of laboratory confirmation should be reserved for extreme circumstances (strong clinical suspicion, severe disease, impossibility of obtaining prompt laboratory confirmation). Once the diagnosis of malaria has been confirmed, appropriate antimalarial treatment must be initiated immediately. Treatment should be guided by three main factors: the infecting Plasmodium species, the clinical status of the patient, and the drug susceptibility of the infecting parasites as determined by the geographic area where the infection was acquired.
- Tool Designer Organization:
- CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA
- View :
- Introduction, Guidelines for Clinicians
- Contact:
- nciddpdmalaria
Summary of main features
- Purpose
- Guidance to treat malaria effectively
- Scope of interventions
- Malaria treatment
- Limitations
- Output
- Treatment for uncomplicated or severe malaria
- Time frame
- In endemic areas, the World Health Organization recommends that treatment be started within 24 hours after the first symptoms appear
- Potential users
- Clinicians
- Skills required
- NA
- Type of software
- Web application
- User manual available?
- NA
- Type and length of training required
- NA
- Available languages
- English only
- Country applications
- Last update and version
- March, May, and November, 2007