Malaria is a parasite infection of red blood cells.<\/strong><\/p>\n Malaria is transmitted to humans by a bite from a female Anopheles mosquito. There can be a delay of one week to one year between getting infected and having symptoms.<\/p>\n Most people who grow up in malarial areas have some immunity to the illness. Malaria is usually an acute<\/strong> (short-term) illness, but for some people it becomes a chronic<\/strong> (life-long) problem.<\/p>\n The risk of malaria is related to where you live and whether this is in a high-risk country or region, and by season. Malaria is the one of the leading causes of death in children under 5 who live in areas affected by malaria.<\/p>\n In people with HIV:<\/p>\n Malaria attacks happen over 4 to 6 hours, and occur every 2 or 3 days.<\/p>\n If malaria affects the brain, it can be fatal within 24 hours.<\/p>\n Malaria can cause anaemia.<\/p>\n HIV increases the\u00a0risk of malaria infection, and the malaria\u00a0is more severe. HIV makes malaria worse.<\/strong><\/p>\n Pregnant women are three times more likely to catch malaria compared to non-pregnant women.<\/strong><\/p>\n The increase in viral load from malaria coinfection increases the risk of HIV transmission<\/strong> in HIV positive pregnant women, and causes lower birth weight in the baby.<\/p>\n Haemoglobin levels are lower in coinfected pregnant women and the risk of anaemia<\/strong> is higher. This has to be taken very seriously and managed appropriately.<\/p>\n This usually means that the risks from not treating malaria are greater than the difficulties from treatment (ie drug interactions).<\/p>\n Malaria is diagnosed by physical examination and blood tests.<\/strong><\/p>\n Information about travel history and symptoms are important.<\/p>\n Malaria can be treated with inexpensive drugs and can usually be cured.<\/strong><\/p>\n The choice of drugs depends on whether the malaria in your region has developed resistance to treatment.<\/p>\n Malaria is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Several antimalarial drugs and combinations are available.<\/p>\n Please check the Liverpool University online checker<\/a> for details pf interactions between some malaria drugs and some HIV drugs. Malaria drugs are listed under antiprotazoals<\/strong>. One of the most effective ways to stop malaria is to use insecticide-treated bed nets.<\/strong><\/p>\n These nets cost less than $5 and can reduce all-cause child mortality by 25%. This is part of a major international campaign to reduce infant mortality from malaria.<\/p>\n Oral prophylaxis is with co-trimoxazole<\/strong> (Septrin), which also protects against PCP and toxoplasmosis.<\/p>\n Research on malaria is looking at the following areas:<\/p>\n\n
Main symptoms<\/h2>\n
\n
Malaria and HIV<\/h2>\n
\n
Malaria, pregnancy and anaemia<\/h2>\n
Diagnosis<\/h2>\n
Treatment<\/h2>\n
\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.hiv-druginteractions.org\/checker<\/a><\/p>\n\n
Prophylaxis<\/h2>\n
Research<\/h2>\n
\n
Links and further reading<\/h2>\n