Malaria

Abstract

Malaria is the most important parasitic infection in people, accounting for more than 1 million deaths a year. Malaria has become a priority for the international health community and is now the focus of several new initiatives. Prevention and treatment of malaria could be greatly improved with existing methods if increased financial and labour resources were available. However, new approaches for prevention and treatment are needed. Several new drugs are under development, which are likely to be used in combinations to slow the spread of resistance, but the high cost of treatments would make sustainability difficult. Insecticide-treated bed-nets provide a simple but effective means of preventing malaria, especially with the development of longlasting nets in which insecticide is incorporated into the net fibres. One malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS02, has shown promise in endemic areas and will shortly enter further trials. Other vaccines are being studied in clinical trials, but it will probably be at least 10 years before a malaria vaccine is ready for widespread use.

Efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine dispersible tablets compared with crushed commercial tablets in African infants and children with uncomplicated malaria: a randomised, single-blind, multicentre trial

“…Most deaths happen in children in sub-Saharan Africa. [1][2][3] Eff orts to fi ght this disease are based on the combined use of preventive and therapeutic measures, including the adequate use of available antimalarial drugs, which are under constant threat from the emergence and spread of drug resistance of P falciparum. WHO now recommends combination treatments, preferably including an artemisinin derivative, to improve effi cacy and prevent the emergence of parasite drug resistance.…”

“…WHO now recommends combination treatments, preferably including an artemisinin derivative, to improve effi cacy and prevent the emergence of parasite drug resistance. 4 Artemisinin-based combination therapy is highly eff ective against multidrug-resistant P falciparum malaria in Asia and Africa, 3,5 and has been used in southeast Asia for more than 10 years. Sub-Saharan African countries are currently implementing artemisinin-based combination therapies as fi rst-line or second-line treatments.…”

Malaria vaccines 1985–2005: a full circle?

“…The first generation of malaria vaccines will probably be used to supplement strategies of vector control and drug treatment for reducing rates of morbidity and mortality [48]. A vaccine that is good enough to be an effective alternative to treatment and vector control remains a more distant goal and might require another 20 years to perfect.…”

Use of Poisson spatiotemporal regression models for the Brazilian Amazon Forest: malaria count data

“…Malaria causes about 400-900 million cases of fever and approximately one to three million deaths annually [1][2] . It is a disease commonly associated with poverty.…”