How are people who are infected with the malaria parasite cured?
What medications are used in the treatment? They are cured by using drugs that eliminate the parasite from the body. There are many of these, but the situation has been compromised by the development of multiple drug resistance. This is especially the case in S.E. Asia where virtually none of the prophylactic (preventative) drugs work. Drugs such as chloroquine were cheap, had few side effects and were effective in both the treatment and prevention of malaria. In 1978 chloroquine resistance arrived in Africa and now it covers the whole continent. Unfortunately many of the alternatives are more expensive and have greater side-effects. Thus for the traveller from the West who can afford the right drugs it is not really a major problem, but for the rural poor of Africa it is. Some medications used are: Fansidar-sulphadoxine/pyremtehamine; Hafan-Halofantrine; Lariam-Mefloquine; Quinine. The last is the oldest and still the most widely effective. It was derived from the choncona tree in Sou
