Medication to prevent malaria and how to use it
Some drugs can be used to prevent malaria. You must take these medicines before traveling to areas where there are still many cases of malaria. To find out what are the antidote to malaria and how to use it, consider the following review.
Malaria is a disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite Plasmodium. This disease is dangerous because it can cause serious or life-threatening complications.
For people who live in areas with rare malaria cases and want to travel to endemic areas, malaria prevention drugs should be taken for 4 to 8 weeks. Start a week before traveling to a high-risk malaria location, 4 weeks after returning home. Medicines must be taken every day at the same time, including in endemic areas.
Here are some types of malaria prevention drugs and how to use them:
1. Atovaquone / Proguanil
This drug is the latest malaria prevention drug and is effective against P. falciparum. Atovaquone / Proguanil is suitable for those who will be traveling in the near future because it can be used 1 to 2 days before the trip and 7 days after they return.
Side effects of this drug are stomach ache, nausea and vomiting, but rarely. Atovaquone / Proguanil should not be used by pregnant, lactating women and people with kidney problems.
2. Doxycycline
This drug is known to be effective against P. falciparum and is used 1 to 2 days before traveling up to 4 weeks after the return of malaria endemic areas. Side effects may include indigestion, itchy skin, headaches, dry mouth, and vaginal discharge in women.
Doxycycline is not recommended for children under 8 years because it can affect bone growth and change the color of the tooth layer. The duration of administration of this drug is a maximum of 6 months.
Dosage can cause irritation of the esophagus. Therefore, it is recommended to add drinking water when taking this medicine, which should not be taken before bedtime. In addition, the dosage of the drug makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight.
3. mefloquine
This drug can be used in pregnant women in the second and third quarters, as well as in infants over 3 months. Mefloquine is consumed one week before the trip and up to four weeks after returning home.
Side effects of this drug are hallucinations, insomnia and convulsions. Mefloquine is not recommended in patients with heart disease or psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders.
4. Chloroquine
This drug is taken once a week and can be used by children and pregnant women every quarter. Chloroquine should be taken 1 to 2 weeks before traveling, 4 weeks after returning home.
Side effects of using this drug include blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. At present, chloroquine is rarely used because many P. falciparum are already immune to this drug.
5. Primakuin
This drug is good for preventing P. vivax and P. falciparum and can be given to children, but not for pregnant women. Primakuin is consumed 1 to 2 days before traveling up to 7 days after returning home. Side effects that may arise are digestive disorders, such as abdominal pain and nausea, vomiting. In people with G6PD deficiency, this drug can cause hemolytic anemia.
To determine what type of drug is suitable for malaria prevention, you can consult a doctor. The doctor will choose the type of drug based on the type of malaria resistance in the endemic area you are visiting, as well as your health status.
Remember that malaria prevention drugs must be taken according to the dosage and period specified by the doctor.
how to protect yourself from mosquito bites
Taking medicine to prevent malaria alone does not guarantee that a person will avoid this disease. To reduce the risk of malaria, you should also protect yourself from mosquito bites, especially at night until morning. Here are some tips for avoiding mosquito bites:
Malaria should not be underestimated. If you have a high fever with chills for a week or more, in malaria endemic areas or within 3 months of leaving, get medical help immediately for examination and treatment.
Malaria is a disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite Plasmodium. This disease is dangerous because it can cause serious or life-threatening complications.
Here are some types of malaria prevention drugs and how to use them:
1. Atovaquone / Proguanil
This drug is the latest malaria prevention drug and is effective against P. falciparum. Atovaquone / Proguanil is suitable for those who will be traveling in the near future because it can be used 1 to 2 days before the trip and 7 days after they return.
Side effects of this drug are stomach ache, nausea and vomiting, but rarely. Atovaquone / Proguanil should not be used by pregnant, lactating women and people with kidney problems.
2. Doxycycline
This drug is known to be effective against P. falciparum and is used 1 to 2 days before traveling up to 4 weeks after the return of malaria endemic areas. Side effects may include indigestion, itchy skin, headaches, dry mouth, and vaginal discharge in women.
Doxycycline is not recommended for children under 8 years because it can affect bone growth and change the color of the tooth layer. The duration of administration of this drug is a maximum of 6 months.
Dosage can cause irritation of the esophagus. Therefore, it is recommended to add drinking water when taking this medicine, which should not be taken before bedtime. In addition, the dosage of the drug makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight.
3. mefloquine
This drug can be used in pregnant women in the second and third quarters, as well as in infants over 3 months. Mefloquine is consumed one week before the trip and up to four weeks after returning home.
Side effects of this drug are hallucinations, insomnia and convulsions. Mefloquine is not recommended in patients with heart disease or psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders.
4. Chloroquine
This drug is taken once a week and can be used by children and pregnant women every quarter. Chloroquine should be taken 1 to 2 weeks before traveling, 4 weeks after returning home.
Side effects of using this drug include blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. At present, chloroquine is rarely used because many P. falciparum are already immune to this drug.
5. Primakuin
This drug is good for preventing P. vivax and P. falciparum and can be given to children, but not for pregnant women. Primakuin is consumed 1 to 2 days before traveling up to 7 days after returning home. Side effects that may arise are digestive disorders, such as abdominal pain and nausea, vomiting. In people with G6PD deficiency, this drug can cause hemolytic anemia.
To determine what type of drug is suitable for malaria prevention, you can consult a doctor. The doctor will choose the type of drug based on the type of malaria resistance in the endemic area you are visiting, as well as your health status.
Remember that malaria prevention drugs must be taken according to the dosage and period specified by the doctor.
how to protect yourself from mosquito bites
Taking medicine to prevent malaria alone does not guarantee that a person will avoid this disease. To reduce the risk of malaria, you should also protect yourself from mosquito bites, especially at night until morning. Here are some tips for avoiding mosquito bites:
- Use an anti-mosquito lotion containing 30-50% DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) or picaridine (KBR 3023).
- Use a mosquito net or wire on the door and window of the house, and a mosquito net on the bed. Also make sure the doors and windows are tightly closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering the room.
- Use mosquito spray indoors or indoors.
- Limit outdoor activities, especially in the afternoon and evening.
- Wear long sleeve clothes, long pants and socks to protect your body, especially at night.
- Use brightly colored clothes.
- Keep the environment clean, for example, by emptying and cleaning your bathtub carefully, and by not suspending your clothes at home.
Malaria should not be underestimated. If you have a high fever with chills for a week or more, in malaria endemic areas or within 3 months of leaving, get medical help immediately for examination and treatment.
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