title: Malaria.
abstract: Although global morbidity and mortality have decreased substantially, malaria, a parasite infection of red blood cells, still kills roughly 2000 people per day, most of whom are children in Africa. Two factors largely account for these decreases; increased deployment of insecticide-treated bednets and increased availability of highly effective artemisinin combination treatments. In large trials, parenteral artesunate (an artemisinin derivative) reduced severe malaria mortality by 22·5% in Africa and 34·7% in Asia compared with quinine, whereas adjunctive interventions have been uniformly unsuccessful. Rapid tests have been an important addition to microscopy for malaria diagnosis. Chemopreventive strategies have been increasingly deployed in Africa, notably intermittent sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment in pregnancy, and monthly amodiaquine-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine during the rainy season months in children aged between 3 months and 5 years across the sub-Sahel. Enthusiasm for malaria elimination has resurfaced. This ambitious but laudable goal faces many challenges, including the worldwide economic downturn, difficulties in elimination of vivax malaria, development of pyrethroid resistance in some anopheline mosquitoes, and the emergence of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in southeast Asia. We review the epidemiology, clinical features, pathology, prevention, and treatment of malaria.
authors: Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: nickw@tropmedres.ac.
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: White
authors: Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors: Sasithon
authors: S
authors: Pukrittayakamee
authors: Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors: Tran Tinh
authors: TT
authors: Hien
authors: Department of Medicine, Dev Care Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: M Abul
authors: MA
authors: Faiz
authors: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors: Olugbenga A
authors: OA
authors: Mokuolu
authors: Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford, UK.
authors: Arjen M
authors: AM
authors: Dondorp
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017780:Malaria Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum; D016780:Malaria, Vivax; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011803:Quinine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012621:Seasons; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007306:Insecticides; D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D011804:Quinolines; D000655:Amodiaquine; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D000077332:Artesunate; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; C031327:artemisinin; D011803:Quinine; D015767:Mefloquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine