Malaria, Antihelminth

• Malaria


  Parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes
• Malaria transmission cycle


  1. Mosquito bite

  2. Tissue phase (invasion of body tissue produces no clinical symptoms)

  3. Erythrocytic phase (invasion of RBC causes symptoms of chills, fever, and sweating)

  4. Incubation period of 10-35 days
• Signs and symptoms of active malaria

  • Headache
  • High fever
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Back pain
  • Chills and sweating
  • Dry cough
  • Spleen enlargement
  • Nausea/vomiting
• Methods to eradicate malaria

  1. Prophylaxis (chloroquine and primaquine)

  2. Treatment of acute attack (chloroquine and mefloquine)

  3. Prevention of relapse (mefloquine and atovaquone-proguanil)
• Chloroquine


  Inhibits parasitic growth by interfering with its protein synthesis
• Uses of chloroquine


  • Drug of choice to treat many forms of acute malaria
  • Used as prophylaxis for malaria
• Side effects of chloroquine

  • CNS: Cranial nerve VIII involvement (hearing and balance)
  • Photosensitivity
• Patient education for chloroquine

  • Hearing and balance issues
  • Photosensitivity - avoid the sun
• Ivermectin


  Destroys parasitic worms by binding with chloride ions, increases cell permeability to kill the parasite
• Administration of ivermectin


  • Usually given 1 to 3 days
• Side effects/adverse reactions of ivermectin

  • CNS: dizziness, drowsiness, headache, weakness
  • GI: anorexia, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps
• Adverse reactions do not occur frequently because the drugs are usually well-tolerated