title: Preparedness for severe malaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  About 60 patients with malaria are admitted to Norwegian hospitals every year. The prescription figures for malaria medication may suggest that Norwegians are increasingly exposed to malaria infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  All Norwegian hospitals with a department of internal medicine were sent an electronic questionnaire for reporting the available methods for diagnosing and treating malaria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a 100% response (48/48). Microscopy for malaria diagnosis was available at 92% (44/48) and a rapid test for detecting malaria antigen at 67% (32/48), while 6% (3/48) had no malaria detection test available. Artesunate and quinine for intravenous treatment were both available at 6% (3/48), only artesunate at 27% (13/48) and only quinine at 27% (13/48) of the hospitals. Drugs for intravenous treatment of severe malaria were not available at 40% (19/48) of the hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than a third of Norwegian hospitals lack preparedness for treating severe malaria, and some hospitals lack diagnostic procedures. Severe malaria is a condition that may rapidly become life-threatening and is treated with artesunate or quinine intravenously. All Norwegian hospitals should have procedures for emergency treatment of the disease.
authors: Klinisk institutt 2 Det medisinsk-odontologiske fakultet Universitetet i Bergen.
authors: Åsmund
authors: Å
authors: Heggheim
authors: Klinisk institutt 2 Det medisinsk-odontologiske fakultet Universitetet i Bergen og Nasjonal kompetansetjeneste for tropiske infeksjonssykdommer Medisinsk avdeling Haukeland universitetssykehus.
authors: Bjørn
authors: B
authors: Blomberg
authors: Nasjonal kompetansetjeneste for tropiske infeksjonssykdommer Medisinsk avdeling Haukeland universitetssykehus.
authors: Kristine
authors: K
authors: Mørch
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000600:supply & distribution; D000077332:Artesunate; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D016638:Critical Illness; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008853:Microscopy; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011803:Quinine / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D000077332:Artesunate; D011803:Quinine